Samriddh Gram Initiative of India Nominated for WSIS Prizes 2026 in Enabling Environment Category

Nomination seen as a global recognition of India’s efforts to harness digital infrastructure for driving inclusive growth in rural areas

Samriddh Gram Highlights Delivery of Integrated Phygital Services to Rural India Leveraging BharatNet, World’s Largest Rural Broadband Project

In a major global recognition of India’s efforts to harness digital infrastructure for driving inclusive growth in rural areas, Samriddh Gram: Integrated Phygital Service Delivery Model Enabled by BharatNet, an initiative of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Government of India, has been selected as a nominee for the prestigious WSIS (World Summit on the Information Society) Prizes 2026 under the Action Line AL C6: Enabling Environment category.

Built on the backbone of BharatNet, the Samriddh Gram initiative establishes Samriddhi Kendras as one-stop community hubs delivering integrated “phygital” services that combine physical infrastructure with digital platforms.

Through these Kendras, rural citizens gain seamless access to essential services across healthcare, education, agriculture, governance, financial inclusion, and e-commerce. High-speed broadband, FTTH connectivity, and public Wi-Fi enable transformative use cases such as telemedicine, smart classrooms, digital governance services, and technology-enabled agriculture.

The initiative demonstrates how telecom infrastructure can move beyond connectivity to become a catalyst for social and economic empowerment. Early outcomes indicate improved access to services, reduced travel time and costs, enhanced digital literacy, and increased livelihood opportunities for rural communities.

Designed as a scalable and sustainable model, the project is driven through a community-based entrepreneurial framework, making it replicable across diverse geographies in India and beyond.

The public voting phase for WSIS Prizes 2026 is now open. Stakeholders, institutions, and citizens are encouraged to support the project by registering on WSIS Stocktaking Platform with complete information (organization name, type, country, and user details)and vote for the Samriddh Gram Project under AL C6: Enabling Environment category through the link: https://www.itu.int/net4/wsis/stocktaking/Prizes/2026/Vote before the last date, i.e. 03 May, 2026.

Recently, Union Minister of Communications Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia inaugurated India’s First Samriddhi Kendra under the Samriddh Gram Phygital Services Initiative at Umri Village in Guna district, Madhya Pradesh, marking a key milestone in expanding digital service delivery in rural India.

About World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)

The WSIS Forum is a globally recognized multi-stakeholder platform focused on advancing digital development and fostering inclusive information societies. It brings together key stakeholders—including governments, industry, academia, civil society, and international organizations—to collaborate on critical digital issues.

The WSIS Prizes celebrate innovative ICT-driven projects that contribute to sustainable development worldwide. The WSIS Forum 2026 is scheduled to take place from 6–10 July 2026 in Geneva, featuring discussions on emerging technologies, digital inclusion, cybersecurity, and global digital cooperation.