Jyotiraditya Scindia Launches ‘Samriddhi Kendra’ in MP’s Guna to Deliver Digital and Essential Services in Rural Areas

Guna (Madhya Pradesh): Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya M. Scindia inaugurated a Samriddhi Kendra, an integrated physical and digital service centre, in Umri village of Guna district on Saturday. The centre has been established under the Samriddh Gram Phygital Services Pilot Initiative launched by the Department of Telecommunications.

The initiative aims to utilise the high-speed rural broadband network developed through BharatNet and convert it into a platform for delivering a wide range of essential services to villages.

The Samriddhi Kendra has been designed as a single-window rural service hub, offering facilities such as healthcare, digital education, skill training, agriculture support, financial services, and access to government schemes.

Speaking at the launch event, Scindia said the programme reflects the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure that essential services like healthcare, education, and governance reach even the most remote parts of the country through technology.

He said the initiative will enable villagers to access modern services without travelling to cities. Digital tools will allow farmers to monitor crop health, soil conditions and moisture levels, helping them improve productivity. Students will benefit from modern learning resources, while residents will be able to consult doctors through telemedicine facilities.

The centre includes a Health ATM that can perform basic medical diagnostics, while telemedicine facilities allow villagers to consult doctors from major cities. Blood test reports can also be generated within about 30 minutes.

Residents will also be able to obtain medicines at affordable rates through the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana.

The Samriddhi Kendra offers digital learning through smart classrooms and training programmes supported by the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology. These programmes aim to help rural youth gain digital skills and improve employment opportunities.

Farmers will receive soil testing support, agricultural advisory services and access to modern technologies such as drone-based agriculture solutions.

The centre will also assist villagers in accessing e-governance services such as applying for certificates, obtaining information about government schemes and completing digital documentation.

Financial services available at the centre include banking support, digital payment services, financial literacy programmes and assistance with e-commerce platforms.

High-speed broadband connectivity is being provided through BharatNet-enabled fibre connections along with public Wi-Fi under the PM‑WANI framework.

The project follows a community participation model, where trained local youth work as Village Level Entrepreneurs, helping deliver services and creating employment opportunities in rural areas.

The initiative is being implemented by the Department of Telecommunications in collaboration with the Digital Empowerment Foundation, which is supporting community mobilisation and operational management.

Officials said the Samriddhi Kendra is expected to benefit residents of Umri and surrounding villages by improving healthcare access, expanding digital education, supporting farmers with modern tools and promoting financial inclusion.

The pilot project is also expected to demonstrate how digital infrastructure can be used to create an integrated ecosystem of services in rural India and accelerate inclusive development.