'Samriddh Gram' project declared global winner at WSIS Prizes 2026; Scindia calls it recognition of 'inclusive Digital India'
New Delhi, July 9
Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday expressed his delight after the Department of Telecommunications' 'Samriddh Gram' integrated phygital services project was declared a global winner at the prestigious WSIS Prizes 2026.
The project won the top honours under the 'Enabling Environment' category, awarded by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
Taking to social media, Scindia termed the achievement a "proud moment" for the nation and a testament to the Prime Minister's vision of a digitally empowered India.
"I am delighted to share that the Department of Telecommunication Samriddh Gram integrated phygital services project has been declared the global winner of the WSIS Prizes 2026 under the Enabling Environment category by the International Telecommunication Union," Scindia said.
The Union Minister further credited the success to the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that the award reflects India's growing stature in the global digital landscape.
"This indeed is a proud moment for India and a global recognition of the transformative vision of PM Narendra Modi for a Viksit Bharat and an inclusive digital India," he added.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), has been announced as the Global winner of the prestigious World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Prizes 2026 under Action Line C6 - Enabling Environment for its flagship project "Samriddh Gram: Integrated Phygital Service Delivery Model Enabled by BharatNet."
The initiative is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of delivering integrated digital services to remote and rural areas of India. The award was presented during the WSIS Forum 2026 held in Geneva, recognising India's innovative approach towards leveraging digital public infrastructure and telecom connectivity for inclusive rural development.
Instituted under the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) process led by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the WSIS Prizes are among the world's most prestigious recognitions for projects harnessing Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to advance sustainable development. The WSIS Forum brings together governments, United Nations agencies, industry, academia, civil society and international organisations to promote people-centric, inclusive and development-oriented digital transformation.
Samriddh Gram is an integrated rural digital transformation initiative of the Department of Telecommunications built on the BharatNet backbone. At the heart of the initiative are Samriddhi Kendras, established as one-stop village-level hubs delivering integrated phygital services by combining reliable telecom connectivity, digital platforms and assisted physical service delivery.
The Samriddh Gram initiative brings together a comprehensive range of citizen-centric services under one roof, spanning healthcare, education, agriculture, financial inclusion, skilling, e-Governance, and e-commerce.
The Samriddh Gram Centre provides tele-consultation, diagnostic services through Health ATMs, and medicines through PM Jan Aushadhi Kendras; smart classrooms and AR/VR-based skill development; IoT-based soil testing, drone-enabled fertilizer and pesticide spraying, and mobile app-based smart irrigation solutions; CSC/e-Governance and Banking Correspondent services; e-commerce support for local products; FTTH and PM-WANI connectivity; CCTV-based village surveillance; and community-level digital facilitation, ensuring seamless access to essential services and promoting inclusive, technology-enabled rural development.
The project demonstrates how BharatNet and last-mile telecom infrastructure can transform beyond connectivity into measurable socio-economic outcomes for rural citizens through an integrated service delivery model supported by local facilitation and community participation.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The integrated phygital model is what makes this unique. Having health ATMs and soil testing under one roof is a game-changer for small farmers. I just hope these Kendras get proper staffing and maintenance - many government projects look good on paper but fail at delivery. Let's see how they sustain it long-term.
This is what happens when you combine good intent with proper execution. BharatNet backbone has been controversial with delays, but projects like Samriddh Gram show its potential. The AR/VR skill development and drone spraying are impressive touches. But we need 10,000 such Kendras, not 500. Scale up quickly, DoT!
Having worked in rural development in Africa, I find India's approach to phygital service delivery truly inspiring. The combination of physical centers with digital infrastructure addresses connectivity and trust issues simultaneously. WSIS recognition is well-deserved. Curious how this model could be adapted for other developing nations.
Great initiative but I've seen these Samriddhi Kendras in my district - some don't even have regular electricity or internet connectivity! The concept is brilliant but execution needs serious attention. Health ATMs and smart classes are useless if there's no power backup. We can't just celebrate awards while ground realities remain challenging.
Interesting to see how India is leapfrogging traditional service delivery models. The combination of CSC services, banking, and e-commerce under one roof is smart. But data privacy concerns? With all these integrated services collecting citizen data, there needs to be robust safeguards. Hope the digital infrastructure includes proper cybersecurity measures.
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