Today, life relies heavily on social and economic connections promoted by technology and offering equal opportunities in technology services is not an easy process. India has a huge population and is geographically diverse, and it has a challenge of how to connect needy digital services to all their regions, including rural and semi-urban. Being aware of this fact, the Government of India launched the Common Service Centre (CSC), which is known as a part of the Digital India Programme. This has positively transformed the area of delivery of these services such that the extreme corners of the country can attain multiple services across both government and non-government formations.
This article also discusses the idea, service, advantage, working, and cost overviews of the Common Services Centre Franchise, as well as analyzes how the OF edition is crucial to digital India.
Table of Contents
What is a Common Services Centre Franchise?
This is a government project implemented to provide basic services to the rural, semiurban, and other unserved and unorganized urban areas of India. CSCs under Digital India plan to address the digital vulnerability by offering government as well as private services, essentialities, and involvement in literacy and entrepreneurship facilities.
The central concept of the CSC initiative is the Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs), the people who operate these centers. These intermediaries are the VLEs who link the citizens to the various services and, as such, help people engage with government welfare and financial services, education, health facilities, and other things.
CSCs are envisioned to be a single-window, nurtured solution center for causing banking, e-governance, healthcare, education, and e-commerce. Because of their focus on affordability, CSCs have now emerged as key facilitators for India’s digital economy, especially in rural regions of India where the availability of such facilities was a distant dream.
How Much Does the Common Service Center Franchise Cost?
The total investment to start the Common Service Center Franchise is between 5 lakhs to 10 lakhs, which includes setup, equipment, and initial expenses.
Profit Potential of the Common Service Center Franchise
Common Services Centre Franchise offers a healthy profit margin. Here is the detailed profit breakdown:
Anticipated ROI
ROI Timeline: 6 to 12 months
The assessment of the return on investment (ROI) in a CSC has shown that the payback period on average is between 6 to 12 months. Businesspeople should be able to get at least an 80 percent ROI once this center is up and running, given the range of services that are going to be on offer and the great pool of clientele out there.
Revenue Sources
| Service Fees: CSC charges citizens some amount for services such as Aadhaar enrollment, PAN application, and bill payments, among others. |
| Government Schemes: They get a commission for having people enrolled in different government programs, including pensions, insurance, and grants. |
| E-Commerce Commissions: CSCs make operating profits primarily through the sale of products online, earning commissionary fees from product sales on electronic marketplaces. |
Services Provided by Common Services Centre
CSCs discuss a wide range of services provided in different fields to guarantee that people residing in the most secluded areas can gain access to the necessary resources. Below are some of the key categories of services provided by these centers:
Government-to-Citizen (G2C) Services
CSCs have a major role in delivering G2C services, which are government services where the citizen does not have to approach any office. These include:
| Aadhaar Enrollment and Updates: The Aadhaar card can be acquired, and you can change and download your details. The CSC also helps out in other Aadhaar-associated services, like linking with bank accounts or mobile numbers, for instance. |
| PAN Card Application: By means of CSCs, people can obtain new and use existing PAN cards, which are necessary for certain financial and even other operations. |
| E-District Services: Documents like the income, caste, and domicile certificates are issued through the CSCs, and the people can get very important documents without having to travel long distances. |
| Land Records: Sometimes it may be a tiresome affair to try to secure copies of the land records; on the same note, this is not a problem with CSCs since they ensure that copies of land records together with supporting papers are easily accessible. |
Banking & Financial Services
Another area where India has concentrated on the rural development sector is the financial inclusion process, and CSCs have been very active here. They offer the following services:
| Digital Banking Services: The CSCs act as Business Correspondents (BCs) of the leading business banks in the country and offer services such as opening savings accounts, deposit-taking, and withdrawal facilities, as well as government subsidies and other payment deliveries. |
| Insurance Services: Appointments with CSCs ease the processes of acquiring government and private schemes in life, health, or general insurance plans. |
| Pension Schemes: Even people with vernacular language understanding can register for schemes such as the National Pension Scheme (NPS) or Atal Pension Yojana, providing financial security to the unbanked and underprivileged sections of society. |
Educational Services
Undoubtedly, the program has revisited the meaning and significance of education and skills across rural and remote areas through CSC initiatives. Services under this category include:
| E-Learning Platforms: CSCs provide access to web portals offering skill development courses and certification programs for students, working professionals, and everybody who wants to continue their education. |
| Exam Registration and Admit Cards: Students can enroll themselves for various national and state-level examinations through CSCs and get their admit card, which may not have been easily accessible to students in rural areas. |
Healthcare Services
Telemedicine services, which are provided through CSCs, have made a significant difference in healthcare for people who could not otherwise get access to doctors. Healthcare services provided through CSC include:
| Teleconsultation: CSCs allow citizens to consult with doctors, receive medical advice, and get prescriptions from online doctors without spending time going to the hospitals and incurring a lot of costs. |
| Health Insurance Enrollment: Many government healthcare plans, like the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, are availed through the CSC industries for low-income households. |
E-Commerce and Other Services
CSCs are also providing e-commerce and utility services that make day-to-day tasks easier:
| Bill Payments: For utility bills such as electricity, water, and other related bills, the CSCs offer the convenience of completing the transaction as compared to independent, time-consuming visits to different service offices. |
| Online Shopping Services: CSCs are a means through which citizens can access products by buying from e-commerce shops due to the availability of many shops that sell products at reasonable prices. |
| Travel Services: Quite a number of CSCs also sell transport fares, for example, train, bus, and flight tickets, so that people from rural areas can easily book for their travel. |
Requirements of the Common Services Centre Franchise
The establishment of a Common Services Centre Franchise is a good opportunity for entrepreneurs to help out in the advancement of the country’s digital as well as offer a proper business. Here is a step-by-step guide to becoming a Common Services Centre Franchisee:
Eligibility Criteria
The Government of India has defined some essential requirements for the candidate interested in operating a CSC. These include:
| The applicant ought to be an Indian citizen. |
| The essential skill is essential computer literacy, although specific knowledge of the chosen field is desirable. |
| The educational requirement is a minimum of the 10th-grade (matriculation) pass. |
| It would also be important for the entrepreneur to be in a position to manage as well as to run the center. |
Infrastructure Requirements of Common Services Centre Franchise
To run a CSC successfully, certain infrastructural requirements need to be Common Services Centre Franchisee:
Space: An area of about 300-500 square feet is ideal for computers, printers, and other equipment and furniture.
Equipment: For the proficient functioning of a CSC, it is mandatory to have computers, printers, biometric devices with internet connection, and a power backup system.
How to Start the Common Services Centre Franchise?
To register for a Common Services Centre Franchise, follow these steps:
Visit the official CSC portal at the Common Service Center.
Fill the registration form available on the website and enter a few pieces of information like Aadhar number, phone number with code, and the education qualification details.
Upload copies of identification documents, proof of residence, and educational certificates.
When you provide relevant information to the center, you are granted a CSC ID that enables you to start operating as a franchisee.
Benefits of the Common Services Centre Franchise
Here is the list of Common Service Center Franchise benefits:
CSCs have the effect of enabling the citizens to participate in the digital economy and avail services that were earlier unavailable to the members of the rural population.
VLEs operate the centers and use local staff and, in turn, generate employment and boost local economies in those regions.
It also provides banking and other financial services such as insurance and pension services to the needy and needy areas, hence enhancing economic security in remote rural centers.
CSCs assist in this aspect of closing the divide between the urban and rural people in that the most rural-located people can also get digital services and information.
CSCs foster entrepreneurship by offering business opportunities to local entrepreneurs to operate their centers and therefore boost the local economy.
Challenges Faced by Common Service Franchise
Connectivity Issues: Internet connection is still a big issue in the rural areas as it was several years back. This has so placed a constraint on the nature of services that are being offered by CSCs.
Awareness: This reduces the uptake of CSCs due to limited awareness amongst many rural citizens of all the services provided by the centers.
High Initial Investment: The main challenge may be the high costs of implementing the idea of the CSC, as some potential businesspeople may lack the necessary capital to start this kind of company.
Future of the Common Service Center Franchise in India
The future of CSCs seems bright as more and more parts of India work towards enhancing internet connectivity and uplifting the literacy percentage. Hence, the CSC and other services will continue to be expanded in the coming months and years; their function will continue to become more significant for making government products and services more accessible to rural populations in the context of encouraging economic activity in rural areas.
CSCs are going to be key drivers as the country inches closer to a cashless society, which will give a fillip to the rural populace and connect them to the digital economy.
Conclusion
In Conclusion, Common Services Centre Franchise Cost & How to Start. The CSC Social Awareness Program has now become one of the landmark flagship programs in the wake of digital literacy in India. Through the provision of a variety of services, CSCs have enabled the citizens, encouraged the spirit of enterprise, and immensely contributed towards bringing essential services to the doorstep of everyone, especially in rural and semi-urban areas of the country.
To aspiring entrepreneurs, owning a Common Services Centre Franchise not only opens a very viable commercial venture but also an opportunity to contribute to the development of the nation. By fulfilling the eligibility criteria, availability of proper infrastructure, and registration process, starting a CSC is feasible and rewarding.
With the ongoing development by the Government of India of the services offered through CSCs and the ongoing technological developments, this particular initiative would stay among the most vital cost enrollment strategies in India’s digital age.
Common Services Centre Franchise Image Gallery
FAQs
What services are available to me if I visit a CSC?
CSCs provide services such as Aadhaar & PAN cards, government certificates, banking facilities, insurance, online education, telemedicine, paying bills, e-commerce, etc.
What are the start-up costs of a Common Services Centre Franchise?
initial investment for opening up a new Common Services Centre Franchise varies between 5 lakhs and 10 lakhs to cater to the cost of infrastructure, equipment, and preliminary expenses.
Can anyone open a Common Services Centre Franchise?
To open a CSC, the applicant should be an Indian citizen, the minimum age should be 18 years, computer knowledge is mandatory, and the education criteria is 10th pass.
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