Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah informed the Lok Sabha that a total of 5,170 Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) have started functioning as Common Service Centres (CSC) in Uttar Pradesh.
Nationwide, 42,080 PACS have begun offering CSC services to rural citizens.
The Government of India has undertaken an initiative to enable PACS to function as CSCs, allowing them to provide over 300 e-services. These services include banking, insurance, Aadhaar enrollment and updates, health services, PAN card issuance, and ticket bookings for IRCTC, buses, and air travel.
This initiative significantly benefits farmers and rural populations by granting them easy access to essential digital services at the PACS level. It reduces travel costs, enhances financial inclusion, and improves service delivery in remote areas.
Moreover, the move strengthens the rural economy by creating new income opportunities for PACS while generating employment at the local level.
By integrating digital access with grassroots governance, the initiative aims to empower rural communities and improve their overall ease of living.