CSC, Renault India to provide digital literacy in rural areas

On Monday, Carmaker Renault India declared its partnership with CSC e-Governance Services (Common Service Centres) to support the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyaan (PMGDISHA), India’s flagship programme that aims to provide digital literacy to masses.

The partnership is aimed at empowering the citizens in rural areas by training them to operate computers or digital devices like laptops, browse the internet, access government websites and banking services and undertake digital payments, Renault India said in a statement.

As part of the partnership, the company has handed over five cars to CSC e-Governance Services to help in its drive to upskill people in rural and semi-urban areas across India and help them develop vocational and professional skills, it added.

The Renault cars will participate in distributing information on learning courses and support the CSC teams in conducting training to impart financial and digital skills in the rural areas.

Through these cars the VLEs (village-level entrepreneurs) will also spread awareness on the COVID-19 appropriate behaviour and protocols, it added.

Commenting on the partnership, Renault India Operations Country CEO & Managing Director Venkatram Mamillapalle said, “the Renault cars will act as ‘Knowledge Repository on Wheels’ supporting in empowering people in rural areas by providing them access to information, knowledge and requisite skills.”

Stating that digital literacy is a key component of the government’s vision of building an empowered society, he said, “this is a significant step in rural integration as it is in sync with the government’s aim of strengthening the rural economy and empowering the rural and semi-urban sectors not only in terms of financial viability but also by skilling and building knowledge capacities of the masses.”

Dinesh Tyagi, CSC SPV Managing Director CSC has a mandate of training six crore rural citizens in digital skills under the PMGDISHA.

Tyagi said, “these cars will be deployed across different locations and will support our teams in conducting training, further bridging the digital divide particularly in rural and semi-urban areas.” PTI