CSC seeks exemption to deliver essential e-services

E-governance services provider CSC SPV has sought permission to allow all common service centres to offer banking and essential services electronically during the lockdown to contain coronavirus spread, a top official said on Wednesday.

Around 22,000 common service centres registered as banking correspondent are delivering their services and rest of the centres are operating in accordance to the permission given by state and local authorities, CSC e-Governance Services India Limited CEO Dinesh Tyagi told PTI.

"We have written to the minister (Ravi Shankar Prasad) for allowing all our CSCs to provide essential services that can be provided electronically," Tyagi said.

There are over 2.7 lakh CSCs operational across the country. CSCs provide financial, telemedicine, education, e-commerce, gas booking services etc.

"Jharkhand government has allowed the operation of all CSCs. Haryana government has given partial permission," Tyagi said.

The Haryana government has also roped in CSC for delivering telemedicine services for livestock treatment.

"CSCs provide Aadhaar enabled payment services (AEPS) that can be used by people in the rural area for withdrawing cash. We have also written to banks to help village level entrepreneurs by providing them with some cash for AEPS," Tyagi said.

He said that allowing this service can be instrumental in supporting government's recent announcement transfer direct cash benefit transfer through to farmers, Jan Dhan account holders and other labourers.

All these people can withdraw amount without overcrowding the bank branches at their nearest CSCs.