The Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA) was conceptualized in 2016 as one of the biggest steps by the Government of India toward bridging this digital gap between rural and urban areas. Under the scheme, the rural citizens—particularly the ones from the underprivileged sections of society—were to be empowered with skills for digital literacy.
The paper looks intrinsically at PMGDISHA’s objectives, target beneficiaries, training modules, and the overall impact it had on the rural component of India’s digital literacy landscape.
What is Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA)?
Objective: PMGDISHA was a program under Digital India, which aimed at empowering rural citizens by making them digitally literate. It means enabling people to confidently access various digital services and using digital devices like computers, tablets, and smartphones.
Target Group: The target is the digitally illiterate rural adults. It proposes to cover approximately 6 crore rural households in the country.
Modules: Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA) incorporates training modules on the use of digital devices, access to the internet, sending and receiving e-mails, logging onto websites of the government and mobile applications, and digital payment systems.
Other Schemes:- E Shram Card Payment List 2024 | PM Vishwakarma Yojana 2024
Benefits Of Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA))
- Improved Digital Literacy: PMGDISHA enables rural citizens with basic digital literacy skills with confidence to operate digital devices like computers, tablets, and smartphones.
- Access to Government Services: Digital literacy, through Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA), is the fast lane to easier access to several government services and schemes. It will facilitate easy access from home to rural citizens for applying for documents pertaining to the Aadhar card and ration card.
- Economic Empowerment: PMGDISHA enables digital literacy among rural citizens, hence enhancing their employability. They can look at opportunities in sectors that require basic digital skills, be it data entry, online marketing, or e-commerce.
- Financial Inclusion: Digital literacy in financial services is an important part of the rural concept of financial inclusion. PMGDISHA teaches digital payment systems, banking services, and online transactions to spread financial literacy.
- Bridging the Digital Divide: PMGDISHA works towards bridging the urban-rural digital divide by providing equal opportunities to one and all for participating in digital literacy training.
- Empowerment of Women and Marginalized Communities: Digital literacy will help women and other rural minorities to access digital platforms independently. Improved social and economic status is also linked with heightened self-empowerment.
Latest Blog:- Bihar Student Credit Card Scheme | MP Vimarsh Portal 2024 @ vimarsh.mp.gov.in
What is the Process for the Application of Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA)?
The step-by-step process of enrolment in Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA) is as follows:
- Find Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA) Centre: The candidate should first find a nearby Common Services Center or any other designated training center that is authorized to carry out the PMGDISHA training. These centers are usually spread over rural areas for convenient access.
- Attend an orientation session: Attend an orientation workshop organized in the training facility on the PMGDISHA initiative, its objectives, and the overall scheme with a focus on the training modules and why digital literacy is so key.
- Attend an orientation session: Attend an orientation workshop organized in the training facility on the PMGDISHA initiative, its objectives, and the overall scheme with a focus on the training modules and why digital literacy is so key.
- Submit Relevant Documents: Send in all the documents required for registration. Most of these include:
- Proof of Identity: Aadhar card, Voter ID, or any other government-issued ID
- Proof of Address: Aadhar card, Voter ID, or Utility bill
- Passport-size Photo: Recent and clear.
Also Read:- Ayushman Card List 2024 | PM Awas Login कैसे करें पूरी प्रक्रिया @pmay.gov.in login
Eligibility Criteria
- Target Beneficiaries: The beneficiary should be Digitally Illiterate, Only one person in a household where none of the family members is digitally literate will be considered. The age of the beneficiary shall be between 14 years and 60 years.
- Priority would be accorded: To Non-smartphone users, Antyodaya households, drop-outs from colleges, and participants of the adult literacy mission. Digitally illiterate school students from 9th to 12th class, provided facility of Computer/ICT Training is not available in their schools.
- Priority shall be accorded: SC, ST, BPL, women, differently-abled persons, and minorities.
Exclusions:
- Panchayats falling within the urban agglomerations shall be kept outside the ambit of the Scheme.
- The complete list of cities to be excluded can be found in Appendix I of the scheme guidelines.
Training Sessions & Certifications
Training Sessions:
Structured training sessions on the PMGDISHA curriculum. The training covers the basic parts of digital literacy, including:
- Basic operations of digital devices- Computers, Tablets, Smartphones.
- Internet usage and online navigation skills
- Email communication
- Introduction to digital financial services and online transactions
- Using Government websites and Mobile Applications for availing services
Assessment
There will be an assessment that has to be taken to evaluate one’s grasp of digital literacy concepts that are taught to them in the training sessions. This assessment is normally conducted by the training center.
Certificate
After completion of this training, the candidates who are successful in the assessment will get a PMGDISHA certificate issued by the Government of India. It simply attests or proclaims your success in having gained elementary digital literacy.
Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA) Impact:
- Digital Literacy: PMGDISHA equipped rural citizens with core digital literacy, potentially making them much more active participants in today’s digital economy.
- Access to Services: Equipping people with digital literacy has facilitated easy access to public services, financial services, and information resources.
- Socio-Economic Impact: PMGDISHA has been of great importance in the socio-economic development of the rural areas of the country, thereby providing improved digital literacy and closing information asymmetry to empower its citizens.
Future Directions:
- Expansion: The Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA) program shall continue to expand, covering more and more rural households and communities in the country.
- Advanced Training: Progressively evolve the program into advanced digital literacy skills training, keeping up with technological advancement.
- Sustainability: Ensure its sustainability through community engagement, involvement of local leadership, continual monitoring, and evaluation.
Conclusion
Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA) empowers people with the skills of digital reading and writing and lays the foundation for inclusive growth and development. Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA) is empowering a digitally empowered society wherein every citizen of this country, be it from any village or region, gets equal opportunities to use digital technology towards their upliftment. PMGDISHA works at increasing the country’s digital literacy, and strategic implementation with continuous support is opening up a brighter future that will be more digitally inclusive for rural India
