In News:

The Samriddh Gram Phygital Services Pilot Project, launched by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) through the Telecom Centres of Excellence (TCoE), is a rural digital empowerment initiative aimed at bridging the digital divide by integrating physical infrastructure with digital service delivery (“phygital model”). It leverages BharatNet — India’s flagship rural broadband programme — to ensure seamless access to essential citizen-centric services.

Pilot Locations & Implementation

The pilot is being implemented in three villages, each hosting a Samriddhi Kendra:

• Ari & Umri (Madhya Pradesh) – Partner: Digital Empowerment Foundation
• Narakoduru (Andhra Pradesh) – Partner: Corpus Enterprises Pvt. Ltd.
• Chaurawala (Uttar Pradesh) – Partner: I-Novate Infotech Pvt. Ltd.

These Kendras act as integrated digital service hubs, providing both physical support and digital-enabled services.

Objectives:

• To create a replicable and scalable rural digital service model.
• To deliver last-mile digital access through BharatNet-powered connectivity.
• To enhance education, agriculture, health, governance, and financial inclusion in rural areas.
• To enable digital entrepreneurship and strengthen participation in the digital economy.

Key Features & Services

1. Education & Skilling

• Smart classrooms, digital content
• AR/VR-based learning
• Skill development aligned with national skilling schemes

2. Agriculture

• IoT-based soil testing
• Drone-enabled services (monitoring, spraying)
• Smart irrigation solutions

3. Healthcare

• Teleconsultations
• Health ATMs for diagnostics
• Basic emergency care support

4. e-Governance

• Assisted access to government services
• Document facilitation
• Grievance redress mechanisms

5. E-Commerce & Entrepreneurship

• Integration with ONDC
• Digital marketplace access for local products
• Support for rural microenterprises

6. Financial Inclusion

• Digital banking services
• Payment systems & UPI-assisted transactions

7. Connectivity Backbone

• BharatNet FTTH connectivity
• Village Area Network (VAN)
• Public Wi-Fi hotspots

Significance

• Strengthens Digital India at the grassroots.
• Demonstrates a phygital last-mile service delivery model.
• Enhances socio-economic outcomes in rural areas by integrating technology with governance and service delivery.
• Designed as a sustainable and scalable model for nationwide expansion.