Kolkata: The West Bengal Circle of the Department of Posts has initiated the process of launching Common Services Centre (CSC) across the state with an aim to deliver a plethora of electronic services to the common people. 150 types of services will be available in the post offices which includes booking of train, flights and bus tickets, payment of mobile, broadband, electricity, water, LPG gas bill etc.
"We have begun the process of developing infrastructure for the commencement of CSCs in post offices across the state. We have earmarked 300 post offices in the state where we plan to set up CSC by the end of October," said Amitabh Singh, Post Master General, Kolkata.
The training of postal staff to be able to render the services have already been completed in a number of urban areas in the city like Kolkata, Asansol, Durgapur etc. The services have already begun in more than 10 post offices and payment receipts are being handed over on payments. There are 7800 post offices in the Bengal circle of the Department of Posts.
The CSCs would provide high quality and cost-effective video, voice and data content and services, in the areas of e-governance, education, health, telemedicine, entertainment as well as other private services. The categories of services that will be offered are Agriculture Services (Agriculture, Horticulture, Sericulture, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries, Veterinary), Education & Training Services (School, College, Vocational Education, Employment, etc.), Health Services (Telemedicine, Health Check-ups, Medicines), Rural Banking & Insurance Services (Micro-credit, Loans, Insurance), Entertainment Services (Movies, Television), Utility Services (Bill Payments, Online bookings) and Commercial Services (DTP, Printing, Internet Browsing, Village level BPO).
The programme is an initiative of the Union Ministry of Electronics & IT. Under the Digital India programme, at least one CSC (preferably more than one) is envisaged in 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats for delivery of various electronic services to citizens across rural India.