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Gujarat's Village Tech Boost: Minimum Rs 20 Per Unit for Digital Entrepreneurs

The Gujarat government has taken a big step to support its village-level tech workers. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has set a minimum payment of Rs 20 per unit of work for Village Computer Entrepreneurs. This decision standardizes their pay, which used to vary widely between different government departments. It's a move that promises more stable and fair earnings for the people delivering essential digital services in rural areas.

Key Points: Gujarat Sets Rs 20 Minimum Pay for Village Computer Entrepreneurs

  • CM Bhupendra Patel approved the new rate to ensure payment parity for VCEs
  • VCEs handle critical e-governance tasks like land records and certificates
  • The move standardizes pay previously set by individual departments
  • It aims to provide stable earnings for last-mile digital service delivery in villages
2 min read

Gujarat govt fixes minimum Rs 20 per unit payment for village computer entrepreneurs

Gujarat CM approves a minimum Rs 20 per unit payment for Village Computer Entrepreneurs under the e-Gram scheme, ensuring fair compensation for rural digital services.

"Taking cognisance of the issue, the Chief Minister directed officials to standardise the payment structure - Official Statement"

Ahmedabad, Dec 12

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has approved a minimum payment of Rs 20 per unit of work for Village Computer Entrepreneurs (VCEs) engaged under the state’s e-Gram Vishwagram programme.

The decision was taken during the 12th Governing Body meeting of the e-Gram Vishwagram Society in Gandhinagar, where the Chief Minister emphasised the need to bring parity in remuneration for VCEs who deliver essential e-governance services in villages.

VCEs handle a wide range of digital tasks for rural citizens -- including copies of land records (7/12, 8-A and Hak Patrak), farmer registrations, procurement entries for agricultural produce, birth and death certificates, income certificates, ration card updates, and various online applications.

They are also entrusted with data-entry work for multiple government schemes. Until now, payments to VCEs varied widely because each government department set its own commission rates for different tasks. This often resulted in inconsistent and unequal compensation for the same amount of effort across departments.

Taking cognisance of the issue, the Chief Minister directed officials to standardise the payment structure to ensure that every VCE receives at least Rs 20 per unit of work, regardless of the department assigning the task. Following his instructions, the Panchayat Department has issued an official circular mandating all state departments to comply with the revised minimum payment rule.

Departments have also been asked to inform both the Panchayat Department and the e-Gram Vishwagram Society before assigning any work to VCEs. The move is expected to provide more stable and equitable earnings for thousands of young digital entrepreneurs who form the backbone of last-mile service delivery in rural Gujarat.

Gujarat’s villages are a blend of rich heritage, vibrant culture, and strong grassroots development, spread across diverse regions like Kutch, Saurashtra, North and Central Gujarat. Each village has its own identity -- whether it’s the craft clusters of Kutch known for embroidery and mud-work, the lush agricultural belts of Anand and Kheda famous for dairy farming, or the coastal settlements of Saurashtra shaped by fishing and maritime traditions.

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- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Rs 20 per unit sounds good, but what exactly is a "unit"? Is filling one form one unit? Or is a complex land record a unit? The circular needs to clearly define this, otherwise, departments might find loopholes. The intent is right, execution is key.
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Aman W
Great move for rural digital India! These VCEs are the real Digital Saathis for villagers who aren't tech-savvy. Getting certificates and updating records without traveling to taluka offices is a huge relief. Fair pay for them is deserved.
S
Sarah B
Interesting model. Standardizing payments across departments is a common sense administrative reform. It reduces friction and should improve the quality of data entry work. Hope it's implemented smoothly.
K
Karthik V
As someone from a village in Saurashtra, I've seen the VCE centre's importance firsthand. Bhai log work hard, handling everything from farm registrations to Aadhaar updates. This minimum wage recognition is late but welcome. Jai Gujarat!
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Nikhil C
While standardizing pay is good, Rs 20 per unit might still be low for complex tasks that take 30+ minutes. The government should also consider a tiered structure based on time/complexity. A good first step, but can be improved.

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