CM Devendra Fadnavis inaugurates India’s first smart and intelligent village  

 

“Ten villages in each tehsil of each district in the State will soon be made smart and intelligent,” announced Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister, while speaking at the inauguration of Satnavari village in Nagpur district as India’s first ‘Smart and Intelligent Village.’ The Chief Minister announced an ambitious programme to replicate this model, targeting 10 villages in every taluka of the State, with an initial phase set to transform approximately 3,500 villages. Chandrashekhar Bawankule, State Revenue Minister and Guardian Minister of the district; Shyamkumar Barve, MP; Charansingh Thakur, MLA; Vaishali Chaudhari, Sarpanch of Satnavari village; Dr Vipin Itankar, District Collector; and Vinayak Mahamuni, Chief Executive Officer, Zilla Parishad, were present for the programme among others. The pioneering project in Satanvari is a collaborative effort between the State Government, Nagpur’s district administration, and the Voice of Indian Communication Technology Enterprises (VOICE), a consortium of 24 domestic technology companies.

 

This initiative showcases the effective use of modern technology to deliver crucial services in agriculture, health, and education, creating a blueprint for a prosperous, self-reliant village. “This is a revolutionary step towards empowering our villages,” stated Chief Minister Fadnavis. He highlighted that the project builds upon the foundations of national schemes like BharatNet and the State’s own MahaNet, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for a digitally connected India. Through this initiative, Satnavari residents will now have access to 18 advanced services. Farmers can leverage drones for precise pesticide and fertiliser spraying, and use sensors for soil testing, helping to reduce production costs and increase yields.

 

In healthcare, telemedicine facilities will provide villagers with remote access to medical expertise. Devendra Fadnavis expressed his expectation that Satnavari would become a national role model for rural development within a year. Chandrashekhar Bawankule, in his address, praised the Chief Minister for bringing this ambitious project to Maharashtra, noting it as a proud moment for the district. The inauguration ceremony also saw the virtual e-foundation laying for 40 new Anganwadis and the online launch of solar panels at a primary health sub-centre.