§1What this business is
People in villages and hill towns often travel far for government papers and online forms. The centre keeps two computers, printers, a photocopier and internet, and charges a small fee for each job: photocopies and printouts, filling online forms, Aadhaar, PAN and ration card enrolment help, passport applications, mobile and DTH recharge, and enrolment in government schemes. Under Digital India such centres also offer banking and insurance services. The owner runs it with one facilitator and one helper.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
A local young person who is good with computers, patient with people and trusted in the area.
Who it is not for
Someone in a spot with poor internet or very few households nearby.
Advantages
- Low start-up cost of ₹4.89 lakh
- People need these services all year
- Many small income lines from one counter
- Respected role in the village
Drawbacks
- Small fee on each job
- Income depends on internet and government portals working
- Several centres in one area split the customers
Skills you need
- Computer and internet use
- Knowledge of government portals and schemes
- Careful data entry
- Polite customer handling
Why difficulty 1/5: Small investment and simple work; the main need is trust and a good location.
§3Market
Who buys
- Village and town households
- Students and job applicants
- Farmers and pensioners applying for schemes
How it sells
- Walk-in counter
- Camps in nearby villages
Good to know
- Yearly sales in the profile: printouts ₹3.6 lakh, Xerox ₹1.8 lakh, Aadhaar/PAN/ration card enrolment ₹1.8 lakh, form filling ₹1.35 lakh, passport services ₹0.9 lakh, scheme enrolment ₹0.9 lakh and recharges ₹0.18 lakh.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Computers with hardware and Windows | 2 | ₹0.60 lakh |
| Colour printer | 1 | ₹0.50 lakh |
| Xerox (photocopy) machine | 1 | ₹0.12 lakh |
| Printer | 1 | ₹0.08 lakh |
| Network installation | 1 | ₹0.05 lakh |
| Office set-up | 1 | ₹0.20 lakh |
From: Uttarakhand DUY project profile — Community Service Centers
- Paper, printer ink and tonerthe profile budgets ₹0.10 lakh a year for materials
From: Uttarakhand DUY project profile — Community Service Centers
§5Licences & registration
- Registration as a Village Level Entrepreneur with CSC e-Governance Services India (TEC certificate needed)
- Udyam registration
- Shop and establishment registration
- Separate authorisation for Aadhaar, banking or insurance services
Start it in your state
Pick your state: today’s cost, central + state subsidy, raw material, land and help, on one page.
§6Schemes & subsidies
A ₹4.89 lakh service unit fits a MUDRA loan, or PMEGP with subsidy.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Building rent ₹0.09 lakh + plant and machinery ₹1.35 lakh + equipment and furniture ₹0.36 lakh + miscellaneous fixed assets ₹0.02 lakh + pre-operative expenses ₹0.13 lakh + working capital ₹2.94 lakh = ₹4.89 lakh.
Working capital: Working capital ₹2.94 lakh is the largest line in the project cost.
Year not printed on the DUY profile — check current prices before you buy equipment.
§8Export potential
A local business; there is no goods export here.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Mistakes in forms that hurt a customer's application
- Misuse of customers' personal data
- Portal or internet outages
- Service rates and rules changed by the government
§1030 / 60 / 90-day plan
A general plan that applies to any business. A plan for this business will be added after research.
- Days 1–30: Visit a working common service centre (jan seva kendra) unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
- Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (Registration as a Village Level Entrepreneur with CSC e-Governance Services India (TEC certificate needed), Udyam registration), a project report (DPR), and the scheme or loan file.
- Days 61–90: Space and machines, trial production, and first deliveries to 10 customers.
§11Who to connect with
§12Watch
There is no episode on this business yet. Shows are coming soon on the Podcast page.
Want to start Common Service Centre (Jan Seva Kendra)?
DPR, loan file or registration — ask us on WhatsApp.
¶Sources
Data review: 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Report it. For information only — not legal or financial advice.