Relevance: GS II (Governance & E-Governance) & GS III (Digital Infrastructure) | Source: PIB Report 2026

1. Context

  • The Report Card: The government has released a major report on how the Digital India mission has changed the country since 2015.
  • The Big Change: A decade ago, the internet was a city luxury. Today, even remote villages use digital payments and online services, almost ending the “Digital Divide.”

2. The Three Pillars of Digital Bharat

India’s success in bringing technology to the poor rests on three main pillars:

  • Internet for All (Connectivity): Through BharatNet, over 2.15 lakh Gram Panchayats are now connected with high-speed fibre. India has over 5 lakh 5G base stations, and data costs are just ₹8–10 per GB (among the lowest in the world).
  • Digital Platforms (DPI): India created a “Digital Foundation” that everyone can use.
    • Aadhaar: Over 143 crore digital IDs.
    • UPI: Over 21 billion transactions every month.
    • DigiLocker: Used by 62 crore people to store documents online safely.
  • Common Service Centres (CSCs): There are 6.5 lakh CSCs across India. These act as village “Cyber Cafes” where farmers and workers can get government help, pay bills, and apply for schemes without having a smartphone.

3. Skilling and Rural Growth

  • Digital Literacy: The PMGDISHA scheme has trained over 6.39 crore rural citizens in basic computer skills, making them “Digital Literate.”
  • Innovation Everywhere: Innovation is no longer just for big cities. Today, 50% of India’s 2 lakh startups are from Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns.
  • Financial Inclusion: 99% of MGNREGA workers now receive their wages directly in their bank accounts (DBT), which has reduced corruption and middleman culture.

UPSC Value Box

Key Concept / Body

Simple Meaning

Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)

Think of this as the “digital road” (like Aadhaar or UPI) on which different services run to help citizens.

BharatNet

The government’s massive project to provide high-speed internet to all 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats in India.

PMGDISHA

Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan. A scheme to make at least one person in every rural household digitally literate.

With reference to the ‘Digital India’ mission and infrastructure, consider the following statements:

  1. The BharatNet project is the world’s largest rural broadband project aimed at connecting all Gram Panchayats.
  2. Under the PMGDISHA scheme, the government provides free high-speed smartphones to all rural students.
  3. Common Service Centres (CSCs) serve as access points for delivering essential public utility services in rural areas.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer: (b)

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