CSC and ONDC join forces to take e-commerce to rural India

The joint initiative of CSC and ONDC aims to extend e-commerce access to rural India, marking a significant step towards inclusive digital commerce

Feb 14, 2024 | Delhi: Common Services Centers (CSCs), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), have joined hands with the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) to enable e-commerce access to rural citizens across India. This initiative will enable the integration of CSC’s e-Grameen app on the ONDC Network as a buyer application, allowing citizens across rural India to access its vast e-commerce Network.

CSC services will become a part of the ONDC Network in two phases. In the first phase, it will be onboarded as a buyer-side platform, allowing citizens visiting CSC to place orders for essentials via the e-Grameen app. With over 4 lakh CSC points across India, this will enable millions of new users to access e-commerce, through their trusted neighborhood CSC.

In the second phase, sellers registered on the CSC platform will be able to receive orders via ONDC Network. This will boost entrepreneurship opportunities and incomes for village-level entrepreneurs, driving the vision of Gram Swaraj.

T. Koshy, MD & CEO, ONDC, said, “We are delighted to see Common Service Centers on the ONDC Network, heralding a new chapter that empowers local entrepreneurship. Through the trusted and widespread network of CSCs, millions of citizens will now have access to essential e-commerce services. Together, we hope to tap into the entrepreneurial promise of village-level entrepreneurs to boost rural incomes aligned with the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision.”

Sanjay Kumar Rakesh, MD & CEO, CSC SPV, explained this relationship by stating that, “Rural India is fast transforming due to digital empowerment. Now, e-commerce services will be able to reach isolated rural areas thanks to this relationship with ONDC. This partnership will create a new wave of opportunities to increase e‑retail penetration to its maximum potential in rural India. This will pave the way for inclusive development in the far-flung areas of the country.”

The event was live-streamed to all Common Service Centers across the country via Facebook, ensuring widespread accessibility and participation.