PACS as CSC: Digital Services in Andhra Pradesh
UPSC / SSC current affairs note · Polity
Why in news
The Ministry of Cooperation, in collaboration with CSC e-Governance Services India Ltd, is enabling eligible Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) in Andhra Pradesh to function as Common Service Centres (CSCs). This initiative aims to deliver a wide range of digital and citizen-centric services in rural areas. As of the latest data, 1,958 PACS have been onboarded as CSCs in the state, with 1,869 actively providing services.
Background
PACS are grassroots-level cooperative credit institutions that provide agricultural credit and related services. The government has been promoting the conversion of PACS into CSCs to leverage their rural reach for delivering digital services under the Digital India initiative.
Key facts
Ministry of Cooperation, with CSC e-Governance Services India Ltd (CSC SPV), facilitates PACS to function as CSCs.
In Andhra Pradesh, 1,958 PACS have been onboarded as CSCs; 1,869 are active, 89 inactive.
PACS as CSCs offer banking, insurance, Aadhaar-enabled services, utility bill payments, PAN card services, agricultural services, G2C and B2C services.
Performance of PACS-CSCs is monitored through periodic review meetings and status reports from CSC SPV.
The data was provided by Union Minister of Home and Cooperation Amit Shah in a Lok Sabha reply.
Prelims pointers
- PACS: Primary Agricultural Credit Societies
- CSC: Common Service Centre
- CSC SPV: CSC e-Governance Services India Ltd
- Ministry of Cooperation
- Digital India
- Andhra Pradesh
- G2C: Government to Citizen
- B2C: Business to Citizen
Mains angles
- Role of PACS in rural digital inclusion and last-mile service delivery
- Cooperative sector reforms and convergence with e-governance initiatives
- Challenges in operationalizing PACS as CSCs and monitoring mechanisms