10 Villages in Every Taluka to be Made Smart and Intelligent – Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis

CM Inaugurates Nation’s First Smart and Intelligent Village at Satanwari

Nagpur, Aug 2025 : Moving towards the vision of an Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) and utilizing modern technology effectively, essential facilities in agriculture, healthcare, and education have been made available in Satanwari village, which has now emerged as a model of a prosperous and empowered rural settlement. Soon, the Government of Maharashtra will launch a program to transform 10 villages in every taluka into Smart and Intelligent Villages. In the first phase, nearly 3,500 villages across the state will be developed under this initiative, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced today while inaugurating the pilot project.

The initiative has been implemented by Voice of Indian Communication Technology Enterprises (VOICE) under the Union Ministry of Telecommunications, in collaboration with 24 domestic companies, the State Government, and the Nagpur District Administration. With their support, modern technology-based services have been introduced in Satanwari, making it the first Smart and Intelligent village in the country.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that launching such a project in a village, where multiple services are made available at a single point through technology, is a revolutionary step. He added that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, the BharatNet Project was launched to digitally empower villages across India, successfully implemented in Maharashtra in its first phase. On similar lines, the state government implemented the MahaNet project, which has now taken a giant step forward with the Satanwari Smart Village model.

Under the initiative, 18 technology-driven services have been made accessible in record time, including smart irrigation, drone-based pesticide and fertilizer spraying, Bank-on-Wheels, smart surveillance, telemedicine, AI-based education, and e-governance solutions. Farmers in Satanwari will now use drones and sensors for soil testing, spraying, and crop management, reducing costs and increasing yields. Improved drinking water quality will enhance villagers’ health, while telemedicine services will ensure healthcare access within the village. AI and smart learning in schools will provide students with global knowledge resources, helping position Satanwari as a role model for rural India.

The CM expressed hope that within a year, Satanwari would earn recognition as one of the most progressive villages in the country. He also announced that the state government will soon replicate this model across 10 villages in each taluka, covering 3,500 villages in the first phase.

Guardian Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, MP Shyamkumar Barve, MLA Charansingh Thakur, Satanwari Sarpanch Vaishali Chaudhary, District Collector Dr. Vipin Itankar, Zilla Parishad CEO Vinayak Mahamuni, and several other dignitaries were present.

Minister Bawankule said that following PM Modi’s ambitious projects such as Smart Cities and Digital India, CM Fadnavis has now taken a visionary step by initiating Smart and Intelligent Villages in Maharashtra. He also noted that a substantial ₹1,200 crore has been sanctioned from the district planning fund for the development of Nagpur district, marking the beginning of a digital rural revolution through Satanwari.

Earlier, VOICE CEO Rakesh Kumar Bhatnagar gave a presentation at the Gram Panchayat office, showcasing the various facilities being introduced in the village under the Smart Village initiative. On this occasion, the CM also performed the e-bhoomipujan of 40 Anganwadis being constructed by the Zilla Parishad and inaugurated solar panels installed at primary health sub-centres under the 15th Finance Commission. Certificates of appreciation were also awarded to the companies partnering in the development of Smart and Intelligent Satanwari.