Title: Perspectives and challenges of common service centres towards e-governance

Authors: Sanjay Thakur; Lekh Raj Verma; Jitender Tiwari; Kokila Negi

Addresses: School of Business and Management Studies, Career Point University, Tikker Bhoranj, Hamirpur, H.P., 176041, India ' Career Point University, Tikker Bhoranj, Hamirpur, H.P. 176041, India ' SRI Sai University, Baijnath Road, Palampur, H.P., India ' ARSD College, University of Delhi, India

Abstract: Common service centres (CSC) run by village level entrepreneurs (VLEs) are expected to contribute significantly towards e-governance by providing government services. Even after 12 years of their inception, rural people are not much aware about facilities in these centres vis-a-vis VLEs running them are still facing a lot of challenges. The study was conducted in the year 2019-2020 by conducting a survey of 200 respondents in rural areas supported by both qualitative and quantitative data. The present study is aimed to investigate the reasons for poor performance of CSC. Challenges and problems faced by VLEs running them. The study contributes towards interdisciplinary study of digital initiatives to serve rural, semi urban population in India and challenges of micro entrepreneurship.

Keywords: electric governance; common service centres; CSC; village level entrepreneur; VLE.

DOI: 10.1504/EG.2023.127579

Electronic Government, an International Journal, 2023 Vol.19 No.1, pp.112 - 122

Received: 08 Sep 2020
Accepted: 02 May 2021
Published online: 12 Dec 2022 *