Government Initiates AI Training for Over 10 Million Individuals, With a Focus on Rural Areas Through the CSC Network
India marked a significant milestone on July 1, 2025, as it celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Digital India initiative, a flagship program launched in 2015 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bridge the digital divide and transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy.
The event, held at New Delhi, was organised by Common Service Centre e-Governance Services India Limited (CSC SPV), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, served as the Chief Guest and inaugurated the celebrations.
During his speech, Ashwini Vaishnaw commended the dedication of Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) who have brought digital services to citizens in remote areas of India. He urged VLEs to begin offering IRCTC services, and launched free artificial intelligence (AI) training for ten lakh individuals, with a special focus on VLEs.
The celebrations saw active public participation across the country between July 1 and 15. Top-performing VLEs were honoured for their contributions, and Jitin Prasada, a key figure in the Digital India initiative, acknowledged over 74,000 women VLEs and discussed the importance of using new technologies such as AI to uplift sectors like health, education, and agriculture.
Over the past decade, Digital India has demonstrably revolutionised access to services, governance, and economic participation. Key features like Aadhaar, UPI (Unified Payments Interface), DigiLocker, and the UMANG app have become part of daily life for millions. Initiatives like BharatNet (optical fiber connectivity) and IndiaAI Mission aim to further accelerate digital inclusion.
The CSC SPV has been a cornerstone of Digital India’s mission to provide last-mile digital access, particularly in rural India. These centres act as access points for delivering government and private sector services, including banking, insurance, education, healthcare, and skill development, to citizens who otherwise lack direct internet access. With over 400,000 centres nationwide, the CSC network is among the world’s largest digital service delivery platforms.
Despite significant progress, issues like uneven internet penetration, technical literacy gaps, and occasional service delivery hiccups persist. The government’s future roadmap includes strategic reforms, inclusive infrastructure expansion, and robust regulatory frameworks to sustain and amplify India’s digital transformation.
The event also highlighted the strength of 1.4 billion Indians, with UPI payments now surpassing Visa transactions. The two-day event in Delhi brought together IT Secretaries from all states to discuss the future of e-governance and rural empowerment.
In summary, the 10-year celebration of Digital India highlighted both its transformative achievements and the ongoing need to address exclusion and ensure that the benefits of the digital revolution reach every citizen, especially through the continued evolution and expansion of the CSC network.
Technology has been instrumental in driving growth and transformation across various sectors in India, as the 10-year celebration of Digital India demonstrated. To further empower citizens, particularly those in rural areas, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw launched free artificial intelligence (AI) training for ten lakh individuals, with a special focus on Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs), who are key players in the delivery of digital services and education-and-self-development opportunities in underserved regions.
