In a freewheeling interview to Team Agenda, CSC-SPV MD, Mr Sanjay Rakesh explains the way his organisation is empowering the life of an ordinary citizen by providing a wide gamut of digital services in every nook and corner of the country. CSC-SPV recently celebrated its 16th foundation day along with the 10th anniversary of Digital India.
What has been your experience of the last five years as the MD & CEO of CSC e-Governance Services India Ltd.?
My 5-year journey has been inspiring and transformative. During my tenure, CSC has seen remarkable growth and has delivered visible impact through it’s 5.65 Lakh partners across the country. The CSC-SPV family is committed to contributing to the continued digital empowerment of the citizens of India. During this journey, several real-life stories have stood out, reflecting the true essence of grassroots empowerment through CSC-VLE(s). Some notable examples include:
Empowering Rural Women – Alwar, Rajasthan: A woman running a small dairy business in Alwar was compelled to sell her milk to a local moneylender at just Rs 30 per litre. The reason? The nearest bank was far, and her husband did not allow her to travel alone. However, after a CSC centre opened in her village, she started receiving direct payments of Rs 40 per litre digitally. This not only improved her income but also gave her a sense of financial independence.
A New Purpose After Retirement – Yamuna Nagar, Haryana: A retired gentleman decided to open a CSC centre despite resistance from his own family. Over time, seeing the positive impact on the community, his entire family joined him in running the centre. Today, they work together to deliver essential digital services to citizens, becoming a beacon of community service and digital inclusion.
Loan disbursal: Through one of it’s partner banks, we have disbursed loans worth Rs 2,000CR in a single year, with all the leads generated through CSC’s own network of VLE partners. These stories, among countless others, reflect the deep social impact and inclusive development efforts.
What kind of state G2C services CSC offers?
CSC VLE (s) deliver a wide range of State Government-to-Citizen (G2C) services, tailored to the needs of individual states. These services are offered through partnerships with respective state departments. Few states have adopted the CSC model.
What is CSC’s role in Digital Card initiatives, and is there potential for integration with such applications? How does CSC address challenges such as restrictions imposed by some state governments (e.g., Karnataka’s stance on UPI) and GST-related notices?
CSC plays a crucial role in supporting Digital Card initiatives such as Ayushman Bharat Cards by acting as the last-mile service delivery partner.
These cards are often issued through CSCs using biometric authentication and secure digital platforms, ensuring access for citizens in rural and remote areas.
Regarding integration with digital applications, CSC can be seamlessly integrated with government or private platforms to expand the reach of such services. With its large network of over 5.6 lakh centres and trained VLEs (Village Level Entrepreneurs), CSC is well-positioned to support new digital initiatives at scale.
What is your response to challenges like Karnataka Government’s restriction on UPI, and GST notices issued to CSCs?
CSC takes a proactive approach by engaging in dialogue with state authorities and relevant ministries. It highlights its non-profit service delivery mandate and the public utility nature of its operations. CSC SPV also works to ensure compliance with applicable financial and tax regulations while seeking policy support to safeguard its grassroots operations from such disruptions. CSC’s continuous coordination with MeitY and other stakeholders helps in resolving state-level issues and ensuring uninterrupted citizen services.
What is CSC’s plan for global expansion?
CSC has been receiving interest and inquiries from several countries, particularly in Africa and other developing regions, where there is a need for last-mile digital service delivery models. However, for any global expansion of the CSC framework, active intervention and strategic support from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) will be essential. MeitY’s guidance and facilitation would help adapt the CSC model to international contexts and align with foreign policy and bilateral cooperation frameworks.
What universities are partnered with CSC? Are Delhi University and Magadh University among them?
No, currently Delhi University and Magadh University are not partners of CSC. However, Shoolini University in Himachal Pradesh has partnered with CSC. Through this collaboration, Shoolini University offers its online courses via the CSC platform, enabling students in remote and rural areas to pursue higher education without incurring the high living costs associated with traditional, on-campus education.
What precautions CSC takes to prevent Cyber frauds?
From time to time, CSC has been imparting training as well awareness campaigns to all it’s partners and through the VLE(s), the common citizens.
How CSC will empower it’s VLE partners for AI training?
The Honourable Minister (Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw) was kind enough to announce a programme to train our VLE partners in this mammoth task on our Foundation Day this week. Our partners will be imparted this training under the AI mission of MEITY of training 10 Lakh people this year. Several rounds of meetings have taken place between and amongst the stakeholders and very soon some mechanism will be rolled out.
What kind of training does CSC provide to its VLEs?
CSC provides comprehensive training to its Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLE’s) to ensure effective service delivery and digital empowerment at the grassroots level. The training covers the following areas:
CSC Service Portfolio
Financial Services:
- Banking correspondence (including AePS, PMGDISHA, insurance, and pensions)
- Digital payment systems (UPI, card-based payments, bill payments)
Soft Skills Sector-Specific Modules:
- Telemedicine and health services
- Education and skill development
- Agriculture and rural commerce
Training is delivered through a mix of online modules, webinars, field workshops, and refresher courses, ensuring continuous capacity building of VLEs to serve citizens more efficiently.
What is the vision of CSC for the next 5 to 10 years?
CSC’s vision for the next 5 to 10 years focuses on expanding its reach, enhancing service quality, and deepening its role in India’s digital transformation. Key focus areas include:
Capacity Building of VLEs: Comprehensive training programs to ensure transparent communication and efficient service delivery at the grassroots level.
Expansion of B2C Services: Establishing partnerships with new private sector players to offer a wider range of business-to-citizen (B2C) services.
Greater Integration with Government Services: Strengthening integration with remaining central and state government schemes and departments to deliver unified digital services.
End-to-End Digitalisation: Moving towards complete digital workflows to enhance speed, efficiency, and traceability of services delivered through CSCs.
Technology Upgradation and Innovation: Expanding the technological backbone of CSCs, including adoption of AI, IoT, and cloud-based solutions to improve delivery and scale up operations further.
What was the last year profit of CSC-SPV ?
It was Rs 130CR.
How does the MD of CSC SPV communicate with the VLEs and address their concerns?
Personally, during my field visits and through a structured process. VLE’s interact regularly through a combination of digital platforms, direct interactions, and periodic business reviews. The aim is to keep VLEs informed, engaged, and supported at every step. Key methods include Monthly Webinars and Video Conferences, Official Communications, Field Engagements and Events, CSC Social Media Platforms. Through the introduction of CSC’s CRM Portal (coming soon), we will further strengthen our grievance redressal and service tracking. CSC is soon launching a dedicated CRM Portal. This platform will allow VLEs to raise queries or concerns directly, track the status of their issues in real-time, receive timely updates and resolutions. The CRM portal will significantly improve transparency, accountability, and response efficiency, ensuring that VLE voices are heard and resolved promptly.
