Bihar
Smart Gram Panchayat
- 16 Feb 2024
- 2 min read
Why in News?
Recently, ‘Smart Gram Panchayat: Revolution towards Digitization of Gram Panchayat’ Project was inaugurated at Paprour Gram Panchayat of Begusarai District, Bihar.
Key Points
- The project aims to extend the PM-WANI (Prime Minister’s Wi-Fi Access Network Interface) Service to Gram Panchayats in Begusarai, marking a paradigm shift in rural connectivity.
- It is implemented by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, funded under the revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA).
- The project targets 455 Gram Panchayats across 37 Blocks in Begusarai and Rohtas Districts in Bihar.
- Emphasis is placed on using technology to enhance access to online services in critical sectors like health, education, and skilling, improving the quality of life in rural areas.
- The beneficiaries of this initiative are Students, farmers, artisans, and Women Self-Help Groups (SHGs).
PM-WANI
- The Prime Minister Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (PM WANI) scheme launched by the Department of Telecom (DoT) in December 2020.
- It is one key scheme launched to bolster the penetration of public WiFi hotspots to establish a robust digital communication infrastructure throughout the nation, especially in rural areas.
Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA)
- The RGSA is a scheme of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, launched in 2018.
- Later it was revamped and the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of RGSA was approved for implementation from 2022-23 to 2025-26 for capacity building of elected representatives (ERs) of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs).
- The primary objective of Revamped RGSA is to develop the governance capabilities of the Panchayats to deliver on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which are covered within the purview of Panchayats.
