Union Digital Centres create 13,372 entrepreneurs in 10 years

Union Digital Centres -- technology-based information service points at union parishad levels -- have created some 13,372 entrepreneurs across the country within a decade. 

During the period, around 555 million services were provided by these centres, which are under the a2i Programme of the ICT Division and the Cabinet Division.

The information was revealed at a programme held on Wednesday to mark 10 years of Digital Centres. 

Aiming to have government services reach people's doorsteps easily, fast and at low cost, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the Union Information and Service Centres in 4,501 unions across the country on 11 November 2010. 

Currently, there are 6,686 digital centres all over the country, providing 270 types of services to people, including those related to land mutation and registration, passports, birth registration, mobile financing and many more. 

Anir Chowdhury, Policy Adviser at the a2i, presented the keynote speech at the programme portraying the achievement of the digital centres. 

He recalled the time when Union Digital Centres (UDC) faced criticism and people used to laugh at it in the beginning. 

"But within a decade, it has created around 13,372 entrepreneurs across the country, who are earning up to $2500 per month by providing digital services to people in remote areas." 

Around 60 lakh people are receiving around 270 types of services per month from these centres. 

Anir Chowdhury said a2i aims at increasing the number of UDC centres and services to 10,000 and 1,500 respectively. 

Md Tazul Islam, Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives, graced the programme as the chief guest while Zunaid Ahmed Palak, Minister of State for ICT Division was present as special guest. 

In his speech, Md Tazul Islam said connectivity is fundamental to any achievement. 

"Earlier, we used to focus more on physical connectivity, but time has changed and digital connectivity has turned more important. Thanks go to the Prime Minister for her steps to transform the country into a digitised one before any other state." 

Zunaid Ahmed Palak said the digital centres have eliminated discrimination between cities and villages by providing equal digital services through technology. 

Pointing out the digital centres' contribution towards employment, Palak said: "We want to turn the digital centres into digital economic hubs in future."

Among others, Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam, senior Secretary of the Local Government Division Helal Uddin Ahmed spoke at the event. 

Five entrepreneurs from different parts of the country were awarded at the programme, which was chaired by NM Zeaul Alam, PAA, senior secretary of the ICT Division.