Port Blair: Village-level digital empowerment in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands has earned national recognition once again, with Sumathi Sudharsan, the Village Level Entrepreneur (VLE) of the Common Service Centre (CSC) at Calicut in South Andaman, winning the prestigious National CSC Award for the second time.
Recognised as one of the Top Transacting Village Level Entrepreneurs in the country, Sumathi received the Award and Certificate of Appreciation during the CSC Diwas celebrations held in Kolkata on July 17, 2026. The honour acknowledges her outstanding commitment to delivering efficient, citizen-centric digital services at the grassroots level and highlights the growing success of the Common Service Centre network in the islands.
Her achievement also reflects the steady expansion of digital governance in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, where the CSC ecosystem has emerged as a vital bridge between citizens and government services.
At present, 117 Common Service Centres are functioning across the Union Territory, providing residents with a convenient single-window platform for accessing 116 government services offered by 15 departments of the A&N Administration. From certificates and applications to utility bill payments and other essential public services, the ICT-enabled centres have made government services more accessible, transparent and efficient, particularly for people living in remote areas.
The CSC initiative has significantly reduced the need for citizens to visit government offices, ensuring quicker processing of services while promoting digital inclusion and ease of governance. Sumathi Sudharsan’s national recognition is expected to inspire other Village Level Entrepreneurs across the islands to continue strengthening grassroots digital transformation and citizen service delivery.
