ONDC partners with MEITY’s Common Services Centers for rural e-commerce

Rural e-commerce: Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) has partnered with Common Services Centers (CSCs) for rolling out e-commerce access to rural citizens across India, the network said on Wednesday.

Under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the collaboration will integrate CSC's e-Grameen app on the ONDC Network as a buyer application, enabling citizens across rural India to access its e-commerce Network, ONDC said in a statement.

As part of the ONDC network, CSC will be onboarded in the first phase. Users will be able to place orders for essentials via the e-Grameen app.

The second phase will see sellers registered on the CSC platform to receive orders via the ONDC network.

The CSC, which have over 4 lakh points across India, will further enable e-commerce access to millions of new users. 

T Koshy, MD and CEO of ONDC said millions of citizens will have access to essential e-commerce services through the trusted and widespread network of CSCs. 

“Together, we hope to tap into the entrepreneurial promise of village-level entrepreneurs to boost rural incomes aligned with the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision,” he added.

ONDC was incorporated in December 2021 under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) of the Union Ministry of Commerce as a facilitator for open networks.

Sanjay Kumar Rakesh, MD and CEO of CSC SPV said this partnership will create a new wave of opportunities to increase e‑retail penetration to its maximum potential in rural India, paving the way for inclusive development in the far-flung areas of the country.

CSCs, on the other hand, are access points for the delivery of Digital India services to rural and remote areas across the country offering assisted access to e-services in India and focusing on enhancing governance.