Now Reading: CSCs key to Digital Odisha, says minister Mahaling
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CSCs key to Digital Odisha, says minister Mahaling
Odisha Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling said Common Service Centres (CSCs) are a key pillar in building Digital Odisha by bringing government and digital services to citizens’ doorsteps. Speaking at the 17th CSC…
The Story in Brief
Odisha Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling said Common Service Centres (CSCs) are a key pillar in building Digital Odisha by bringing government and digital services to citizens’ doorsteps. Speaking at the 17th CSC Day in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday, he said the state now has over 45,000 CSC centres. He credited them with registering over one crore women under Subhadra Yojana and distributing more than 1.76 crore Ayushman Bharat cards.
Mahaling added that CSCs have enabled telemedicine, digital health IDs, and rural healthcare through the National Digital Health Mission. He said the incentive from the Odisha government to CSCs rose from Rs 1 crore to Rs 6.5 crore in two years. The centres have also generated business worth about Rs 12,800 crore and supported nearly two lakh Village Level Entrepreneurs nationwide.
The Indian Opinion
Minister Mahaling’s praise for CSCs as a bridge for digital inclusion is welcome, but the real test lies in last-mile connectivity and service quality in Odisha’s tribal hamlets. A 2024 Comptroller and Auditor General report noted gaps in CSC infrastructure in remote areas. The government claims over 45,000 centres and 8 lakh Ayushman Vay Vandana enrolments. Will independent audits show these services are actually reaching the poorest? That will determine if the digital divide is truly narrowing.
Source: thehansindia.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
