SAMRIDDH GRAM INITIATIVE

NEWS: India’s Samriddh Gram initiative has been nominated for the prestigious WSIS Prizes 2026

About

• Samriddh Gramà Integrated phygital (physical + digital) service delivery model designed by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
• Utilizes the high-speed broadband backbone of BharatNet to transform rural connectivity into a platform for essential social and economic services.
• Was active in its pilot phase by 2024–25, with the first Samriddhi Kendra officially inaugurated by Union Minister in Umri Village, Madhya Pradesh, recently.

OBJECTIVE

• Bridge the rural-digital divide by providing one-stop community hubs for essential services.
• Demonstrate the socio-economic impact of integrated service delivery in health, education, and governance.

Key Features

• Samriddhi Kendras (SK)à One-stop physical centers (800–1000 sq. ft.)à serve as hubs for various digital and assisted services.
• Facilitates teleconsultations through platforms likeà e-Sanjeevani and provides health kiosks for basic diagnostics.
• Equipped with AR/VR smart classrooms+ labs = offering vocational courses from government platforms like Diksha and Swayam.
• Deploys IoT sensors for soil monitoring, smart pump controls+ drone-based farming assistance.
• Enhances village security through smart CCTV cameras and drone-based surveillance.
• Promotes Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) connections + PM-WANI public Wi-Fi hotspots for last-mile connectivity.

About WSIS Prizes 2026:

• The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Prizesà global recognition platform that honors innovative projects leveraging Information+ Communication Technologies (ICTs) to advance sustainable development.
• Organizationsà International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
• AimàCelebrates projects that effectively implement WSIS Action Lines+ contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)+ global digital cooperation and share best practices in ICT-driven inclusive growth.