Samriddh Gram Initiative

Why in News?

Recently, Samriddh Gram, has been selected as a nominee for the prestigious World Summit on the Information Society – Prizes 2026.

• Samriddh Gram – It is an initiative that delivers integrated “phygital” services (physical + digital) to rural citizens through Samriddhi Kendras, using BharatNet broadband.
• Aim – To demonstrate socio-economic impact by reducing costs, improving access, and empowering rural communities through unified service delivery and digital empowerment.
• Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Communications.
• Implementing Agency – Department of Telecommunications (DoT) with support from Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF) and local administration.
• Launched in – 2025, Pilot phase under TTDF.
• Duration – 2 years (pilot period, extensions possible).
• Objectives
  • Socio‑economic impact – Showcase how integrated phygital service delivery reduces costs, improves access, and empowers rural communities.
  • Unified service delivery – Consolidate fragmented e‑governance and welfare services into a single assisted framework at the village level.
  • Digital empowerment – Expand Fiber to the Home (FTTH) connections, PM‑WANI hotspots, and broadband adoption in pilot villages to strengthen rural digital inclusion.

• Coverage – Pan-village implementation through Samriddhi Kendras leveraging BharatNet FTTH and PM-WANI hotspots.

BharatNet – The world’s largest rural broadband project.

Quick Facts

• World Summit on the Information Society Prizes -These are global awards recognizing innovative Information and Communication Technology (ICT) driven projects that advance sustainable development.
• They are organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and awarded annually across multiple Action Lines.

References

1. PIB | Samriddh Gram
2. TTDF | Samriddh Gram