Why in news?

Telecom Centres of Excellence (TCoE) has signed agreements with leading implementation partners to roll out the Samriddh Gram Phygital Services Pilot.

• Aim – To transforming rural India through a seamless integration of physical and digital services leveraging BharatNet Infrastructure.
• Under the – Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF), Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
• Duration – For 2 years after commissioning of the Samriddhi Kendra in the village (Extensions beyond 2 years - based on performance by DoT).
• Objectives –
  • Deliver citizen-focused services in rural areas using phygital model powered by BharatNet broadband.
  • Merge scattered government services into a single, assisted village-level platform to boost access and adoption.
  • Expand broadband use through FTTH and public Wi-Fi in pilot villages to build a scalable model for rural digital empowerment.

Key features 

• Phygital model – It is envisaged as a pioneering phygital (physical + digital) Services model integrating on-ground presence with robust digital infrastructure to empower rural citizens.
• Leverages BharatNet – The program leverages the BharatNet broadband infrastructure to deliver integrated services and accelerate the adoption of government schemes in rural areas.
• Support provided – DoT will facilitate the pilot by providing necessary support such as suitable building/space, high-speed Internet connectivity, and funding support under TTDF.
• Samriddhi Kendra (SK) – A comprehensive suite of services, which will serve as an integrated digital service hub.
• DoT has identified 3 villages to carry out the pilot project.
• Implementation partners –
  • Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) – Ari & Umri, Madhya Pradesh;
  • I-Novate Infotech Private Limited – Chaurawala, Uttar Pradesh;
  • Corpus Enterprises Private Limited – Narakoduru, Andhra Pradesh.
• Multiple services by SK –
  • Education & Skilling – Smart classrooms, AR/VR-based learning, digital skilling aligned with government schemes/initiatives.
  • Agriculture – IoT-based soil testing, drone support, smart irrigation systems.
  • Healthcare – Teleconsultations, Health ATMs, emergency care.
  • e-Governance – Assisted access to citizen services, documentation, grievance redressal.
  • E-Commerce – Integration with ONDC and digital marketplaces for local entrepreneurship.
  • Financial Inclusion – Digital banking & payments

References

1. PIB | Samriddh Gram Phygital Services Pilot Project
2. TTDF | Samriddh Gram Phygital Services Pilot Project