Telecom Centre of Excellence (TCoE) has signed agreements with implementation partners including Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) in Ari and Umri in Madhya Pradesh, I-Novate Infotech Private Limited in Chaurawala, Uttar Pradesh and Corpus Enterprises Private Limited in Narakoduru, Andhra Pradesh, to roll out the Samriddh Gram Phygital Services Pilot, aimed at transforming rural India through a seamless integration of physical and digital services leveraging BharatNet infrastructure.

The Samriddh Gram Phygital Services Pilot is envisaged as a phygital (physical + digital) services model integrating on-ground presence with robust digital infrastructure to empower rural citizens. The initiative leverages BharatNet connectivity to deliver essential services seamlessly and sustainably, ensuring that every rural citizen benefit from digital transformation in daily life.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has identified three villages in which the pilot will be carried out. The identified villages are Ari and Umri in Madhya Pradesh, Narakoduru in Andhra Pradesh, and Chaurawala in Uttar Pradesh. Each village will host a Samriddhi Kendra which will serve as an integrated digital service hub.

The Samriddhi Kendras will deliver a comprehensive suite of services:

  • Education and skilling: Smart classrooms, augmented reality (AR)/ virtual reality (VR)-based learning, and digital skilling aligned with government schemes/initiatives.
  • Agriculture: Internet of thing (IoT)-based soil testing, drone support, and smart irrigation systems.
  • Healthcare: Teleconsultations, Health ATMs, and emergency care.
  • e-Governance: Assisted access to citizen services, documentation, and grievance redressal.
  • E-commerce: Integration with ONDC and digital marketplaces for local entrepreneurship.
  • Financial inclusion: Digital banking and payments.
  • Connectivity backbone: Strengthened BharatNet fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) with a village area network and public Wi-Fi hotspots.

Commenting on the occasion, secretary, DoT emphasised the significance of the initiative and urged the implementation partners to ensure that the pilot is executed with excellence and designed for long-term sustainability, so that it emerges as a replicable and scalable model for nationwide rollout, enabling every rural citizen to truly benefit from this transformative endeavour.