Current context: The Ministry of Cooperation, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), and CSC e-Governance Services India Limited signed a Memorandum of Understanding to provide services through Common Service Centres (CSCs) to Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) in Delhi.
- The MoU was signed by the union Home minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah, and the Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw.
- The CSCs act as access points for delivering essential public services under the Digital India Program, including health care, education, financial services, and agriculture services.
- The MoU enables PACS to function as CSCs and provide over 300 services, including banking, insurance, legal services, and transportation tickets, to rural citizens and their 13 crore farmer members.
- The government intends to permit PACS to offer all services listed on the Digital Seva Portal of the CSC scheme.
- The budget for 2023-2024 includes funding to establish two lakh PACS over the next five years, making cooperatives the backbone of rural development and furthering the "Sahkar Se Samridi" concept.
Question:
Q.1 What was the aim of the MoU signed in New Delhi by four entities?
a. To improve PACS access to finance and digital services via CSCs
b. To shut down CSCs in New Delhi
c. To reduce services offered by CSCs to PACS
d. To disable PACS and CSCs
