Difference between CSC - Common Service Centres and Akshaya Centre
Common Service Centres (CSC) and Akshaya Centres are both initiatives aimed at delivering essential services to the public through digital platforms, but they differ in their scope, operational models, and regional focus.
Common Service Centres (CSC)
- National Initiative: CSCs are part of the Government of India’s Digital India program, aimed at providing government and private services across the country, especially in rural and remote areas.
- Services Offered: CSCs offer G2C (Government to Citizen), B2C (Business to Citizen), and financial services such as banking, insurance, and utility bill payments. They also handle passport services, voter ID registration, and more [2].
- Coverage: These centres operate nationwide and are critical in bridging the digital divide by making services more accessible to underserved populations.
Akshaya Centres
- Kerala-Specific Initiative: Akshaya Centres are a Kerala state government initiative designed to offer a similar range of services but with a regional focus on Kerala’s citizens.
- Services Offered: In addition to G2C and B2C services, Akshaya Centres provide educational, healthcare, and social welfare-related services, making them an integral part of the state’s digital infrastructure [1].
- Role in Kerala: Akshaya Centres play a key role in Kerala’s e-governance and digital empowerment programs, offering training and internet access in addition to governmental services [3].
In conclusion, while both CSCs and Akshaya Centres serve similar purposes of bringing digital services to the public, CSCs operate at a national level, whereas Akshaya Centres are state-specific to Kerala with an added focus on digital literacy and state-specific welfare schemes.