As Uttar Pradesh gears up for an era of digitisation, the Yogi Adityanath government has prepared an action plan to convert all the rural areas into 'smart' villages in order to ensure that the benefits of the welfare schemes are provided to even the last person of society.
A government spokesman claimed that the chief minister always wanted the progress of cities and villages to go together. An official communiqué claimed that in pursuance to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's vision to provide modern technology to rural areas, the government has planned to make all the panchayat bhawans digital. This will not only link the distant regions to the mainstream society but will also ensure effective and transparent implementation of the welfare schemes of the government at the grassroots level, thereby benefiting the needy. With this, all information related to the government and the administration will also be provided to the rural populace at just a click.
The release claimed that youths will be the major gainer as the digital connectivity will always be required by this section -- whether access to study material or the search of a suitable job. To meet its Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas endeavour, the government will be linking gram panchayats with an optical fiber network to provide broadband internet services in the coming days. The project has been undertaken under the National Broadband Mission to digitise every village in the country. The state government has already linked more than 31,149 gram panchayats with optical fiber networks and is working on providing internet connectivity to all the villages soon.
The implementation of this scheme will also provide a major relief to all the students in rural regions facing issues because of poor connectivity amidst the novel coronavirus situation, the release mentioned.
About 70 per cent of the population of Uttar Pradesh resides in rural areas. There are about 2,498 panchayat bhawans in the state out of which 206 are multipurpose panchayat bhawans. The digital transformation of the panchayat bhawans will ensure timely and efficient delivery of all state and Central government services and schemes, fulfilling the priority of the Yogi Adityanath government, the release said, adding that once the panchayat bhawans are digitised, all the information related to the work of the government will be made accessible to the people living in villages.
The official communiqué said that the vision of the programme centered on three key areas: digital infrastructure as a utility to every citizen - digital identity, mobile phone and bank account, safe and secure cyberspace; governance and services on demand - services available in real time on online and mobile platform, making financial transactions electronic and cashless, and digital empowerment of citizens - all documents, certificates available on cloud.
Under the Digital Village Scheme, the government offers such facilities as mini bank, mini ATM, hotel booking and mobile and DTH recharge in the villages. Apart from this, both birth and death certificates will also be made and provided digitally. With this, the farmers of the village will also get all the information regarding weather conditions immediately. E-pathshalas will also be set up at the panchayat bhawans where the farmers will also be taught about all cultivation techniques through digital means.
The release further said that overall, the broadband mission aimed to fast-track growth of digital communications infrastructure, bridge the digital divide, facilitate digital empowerment and inclusion, and provide affordable and universal access to broadband for all. It will lay emphasis on universality, affordability and quality of services.
The scheme will also provide a great relief to all the students residing in the rural areas who face issues because of poor connectivity as the government will connect as many as 45,000 gram sabhas with high speed internet. With this, the students will also be able to benefit from the digital library of the government.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has prioritised radical digitalisation to induce economic inclusiveness through a host of initiatives. Effective and speedy implementation of schemes like Digital India, Make in India and Skill India has provided impetus and equal opportunities to the rural citizens, which has in turn ensured that they are equal participants of the state's growth story, the release claimed.