DAANVEER initiative launched; to boost digital infrastructure across India's gram panchayats
New Delhi, July 29
DAANVEER, a citizen participation initiative to strengthen the digital infrastructure of Gram Panchayats across the country, was launched on Wednesday by Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, in New Delhi.
According to a release from the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, DAANVEER is a platform designed not just to close the immediate computer gap in the Gram Panchayats but to evolve into a long-term, citizen-powered ecosystem for strengthening local institutions. It is a transparent, end-to-end digital and verifiable platform that enables citizens and organisations to contribute towards the identified technology and infrastructure needs of Gram Panchayats in India.
The initiative institutionalises the spirit of voluntarism in society by providing a structured, accountable and seamless mechanism for supporting grassroots digital infrastructure. An initiative of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, it has been developed in collaboration with the National Informatics Centre (NIC) and DigiHaat.
Launching the initiative, Vivek Bharadwaj described DAANVEER as an important step towards realising the vision of Viksit Bharat by ensuring that every Gram Panchayat is digitally equipped, connected and future-ready. He said that the initiative provides citizens across the globe with an opportunity to reconnect with their roots by contributing meaningfully to the development of their native villages, as per the release.
Emphasising the transformative role of digital infrastructure at the grassroots, he observed that a computer in a Gram Panchayat is no longer merely a device for maintaining records; it is an enabler of faster service delivery, greater transparency and improved governance. He noted that DAANVEER should be viewed not as a donation drive, but as a platform for partnership that enables citizens and institutions to become active participants in strengthening local self-governance and advancing the vision of Digital India.
The State officials participating in the event from Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra lauded the initiative and shared that several citizens and philanthropists in their respective States have already shown keen interest in supporting Gram Panchayats by donating computers. They noted that strengthening digital infrastructure at the Panchayat level would significantly improve the efficiency, transparency and accessibility of public service delivery in the country, the release noted.
The launch was also attended by Mukta Shekhar, Joint Secretary, MoPR; Palka Sahni, Joint Secretary, MoPR; Vipul Ujwal, Director MoPR, along with senior officials from the State Panchayati Raj Departments from Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Great initiative! As someone who grew up in a village in Tamil Nadu, I know how a single computer in the panchayat can transform service delivery. DAANVEER giving NRIs like me a platform to contribute is wonderful. Already checking the website to adopt my native village's panchayat! 🇮🇳
Interesting model. I've worked on digital governance projects in Africa, and India's approach of integrating citizen donations with NIC's technical backbone seems robust. The partnership with DigiHaat for supply chain is smart. Just ensure maintenance contracts are included—donated computers often sit idle without tech support.
Good intention, but will the funds actually reach where needed? We've seen so many government portals that remain just websites. Also, many panchayat secretaries are elderly and not tech-savvy. Need proper training alongside hardware. Still, a positive move—better than just lobbying for budget allocations.
Lovely to see India leveraging citizen philanthropy for infrastructure! As a Canadian, I admire how this connects diaspora to their roots. The transparency feature mentioned in the release is crucial—if donors can track their contributions, it builds trust. I hope other countries adopt similar models.
Nice PR move, but what about internet connectivity in remote areas? Computer donation is useless if there's no stable broadband or electricity! Panchayats in my district in Uttar Pradesh still struggle with power cuts. DAANVEER should partner with BSNL or power companies to ensure complete ecosystem. Otherwise it's just a photo-op.
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