Greater Noida: Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya M. Scindia inaugurated the Samriddhi Kendra, an Integrated Phygital (Physical + Digital) Service Centre, at Umri village in Guna district under the Samriddh Gram Phygital Services Pilot Initiative of the Department of Telecommunications.
The initiative leverages the high-speed broadband infrastructure created under BharatNet to transform digital connectivity into an integrated platform for delivery of citizen-centric services in rural areas.
The Samriddhi Kendra has been conceptualised as a single-window rural service hub bringing together healthcare, education, skilling, agriculture, financial services, e-governance support, entrepreneurship facilitation and digital connectivity services at one location.
Converting Connectivity into Rural Empowerment
Speaking on the occasion, Scindia said, “With the launch of the Samriddh Gram initiative in Umri, Guna, we are bringing the world to our Umri. From education and agriculture to healthcare and government services, technology is placing new opportunities directly in the hands of our people.”
Highlighting on the benefits of initiative, the Union Minister said, “Farmers will be able to access real-time insights on soil moisture, nutrients, and crop health through digital tools, making agriculture smarter and more productive. Students will gain access to modern learning resources. Everyone in Umri will receive faster healthcare through on-site diagnostics and tele-consultation with doctors from Delhi and other states. Blood test reports will be produced in less than 30 minutes. Essential government services, from certificates to E-banking, will now be available within the Samriddh Gram itself. This is truly “a program of the future”, one that ensures progress reaches every village and every citizen.”
Union Minister Shri Scindia said that BharatNet has created one of the world’s largest rural broadband infrastructures and that the next phase of India’s digital transformation lies in ensuring meaningful utilisation of this connectivity for improving the quality of life in villages.
The Union Minister highlighted that the integrated Phygital Service Centre will help to realize the vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to deliver healthcare, education, agriculture, financial and e-governance services in rural and remote areas. He further noted that Samriddh Gram initiative represents a shift from providing connectivity alone to enabling integrated digital service delivery ecosystems in rural India.
He further emphasised that such phygital service centres can act as important catalysts for digital inclusion, rural entrepreneurship, improved access to government services, strengthened last-mile service delivery and local employment generation.
Services available at Samriddhi Kendra
The Samriddhi Kendra at Umri, Guna has been equipped to provide a wide range of integrated services including telemedicine consultations, a Health ATM for basic diagnostics, and access to affordable medicines through Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana.
Education and skilling facilities at the centre include smart classroom infrastructure, digital learning access, digital training programmes supported by the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology, and skill development programmes for rural youth.
Agriculture-related services include soil testing support, agricultural advisory services, access to modern farming technologies and drone-based agriculture services aimed at supporting farmers in the region.
The centre will also facilitate assisted access to e-governance services, including information on government schemes, issuance of certificates, digital documentation and support for online citizen services.
Financial and digital services available at the centre include banking and digital payment services, financial literacy support and assisted access to e-commerce platforms.
Connectivity services are being provided through BharatNet-enabled high-speed FTTH broadband and public Wi-Fi access under the PM-WANI framework.
The Samriddhi Kendra will also support community-oriented services including digital surveillance for community safety and facilitation of government outreach camps and service delivery programmes.
Community-led and Sustainable Model
The centre operates on a community-driven model involving trained local youth serving as Village Level Entrepreneurs, thereby promoting rural employment and ensuring sustainability.
The initiative is being implemented by the Department of Telecommunications in partnership with the Digital Empowerment Foundation, which is acting as the field operations and community mobilisation partner and supporting local participation, capacity building and operational management.
The model incorporates a sustainability framework through service delivery revenues, community participation, digital entrepreneurship and convergence with various government programmes.
Expected Impact
The Samriddhi Kendra is expected to benefit residents of Umri and neighbouring villages by improving access to healthcare and government services, enabling digital education and skilling opportunities, supporting farmers with modern agriculture services, promoting digital and financial inclusion, and creating local livelihood opportunities.
The initiative is expected to serve thousands of rural citizens in the surrounding region through integrated service delivery and demonstrates how digital infrastructure can be leveraged for inclusive rural development.
विकसित भारत की मजबूत नींव बनेंगे हमारे समृद्ध गांव…
आज गुना के आरी–उमरी गाँव में देश के पहले ‘समृद्ध ग्राम’ के रूप में इस योजना का शुभारंभ करते हुए अपार संतोष हुआ। यह पहल स्वास्थ्य, शिक्षा, डिजिटल सेवाएं और आधुनिक कृषि की सुविधाओं को गांव तक पहुंचाकर युवाओं, किसानों और… pic.twitter.com/6wJuozoCT8
— Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) March 14, 2026
