Harnessing the power of technology for rural development, CSC e-Governance Services India Limited, under the Ministry of Electronics & IT, has partnered with IIT-Kanpur to enhance the implementation of ‘Unnat Bharat Abhiyan’. This initiative brings together leading higher education institutions with CSC to work on the integrated development of villages in Uttar Pradesh.
Scope of ‘Unnat Bharat Abhiyan’
Launched in 2018 under the aegis of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, ‘Unnat Bharat Abhiyan’ 2.0 aims at establishing a robust relationship between society and higher education institutions. These institutions, leveraging their knowledge and technological prowess, strive to bring substantial improvement in rural livelihoods and uplift both public and private organizational capabilities.
The program encompasses two key domains of village development – human and material (economic) development. The participating institutes carry out thorough studies of living conditions in the adopted gram panchayats and map local problems and needs. Tuned into these ground realities, they then draft a comprehensive action plan.
Common Service Centres: Bringing e-Governance to Rural Areas
The establishment of Common Service Centres (CSCs) was a significant move under the National e-Governance Plan (NeGP) approved by the Government in May 2006. The endeavor was aimed at introducing e-governance on a large scale to ensure high quality and cost-effective video, voice and data content and services.
CSCs are instrumental in bringing web-enabled e-governance services to rural regions. Some of the key services include processing application forms, certificates and utility payments such as electricity, telephone and water bills.
| Year of CSC Establishment | Part of Plan |
|---|---|
| 2006 | National e-Governance Plan (NeGP) |
Centre of Excellence for Waste to Wealth Technologies: Turning Trash into Treasure
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India and IIT Delhi. This MoU paves way for the setting up a Centre of Excellence for Waste to Wealth Technologies with the primary goal to implement scientific, sustainable, and technologically advanced solutions for waste management.
The long-term objective is to establish circular economic models for waste management by using big data analytics and frontier technologies for effective waste streamlining in India. The projected outcomes include treating waste in various forms of energy creation, thereby promoting India as a waste-free nation with zero greenhouse gas emission and ensuring no health hazards.
Role of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India
The position of Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) has existed since 1999, with Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam serving as the first PSA from 1999-2001 followed by Dr. R. Chidambaram from 2001-2018. Professor K. Vijay Raghavan took over the role on 3rd April 2018. The Prime Minister’s Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC) serves as the key body that assists the PSA’s office in assessing the state in specific science and technology domains, understanding challenges, formulating interventions, developing a futuristic roadmap and advising the Prime Minister accordingly.
