Project Ganga to become the new foundation of digital prosperity: Chief Minister

Lucknow, June 9 : In a major step towards providing high-speed broadband connectivity to villages across Uttar Pradesh, accelerating digital inclusion, and creating self-employment opportunities for youth, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday launched ‘Project Ganga’. The project will ensure last-mile digital connectivity in rural areas while expanding opportunities in digital education, telemedicine, e-governance, skill development, and technology-based employment.

Under Project Ganga, a comprehensive network of Digital Service Providers (DSPs) will be developed across the state. Through this initiative, the government aims to provide high-speed internet connectivity to approximately 20 lakh families, prepare 8 to 10 thousand Digital Service Providers, and generate more than one lakh direct and indirect employment opportunities. The project is being launched in 21 districts during its first phase.

On this occasion, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath stated, “Broadband connectivity has become a basic necessity in today’s era. The faster the internet speed, the faster the pace of development. Project Ganga is an important initiative towards realizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Digital India.”

The Chief Minister said, just as the flow of Maa Ganga from Gangotri to Gangasagar has been a source of development, prosperity, and life for the regions along its path, Project Ganga will similarly become a strong foundation for Uttar Pradesh’s digital prosperity. This initiative will create new possibilities for social and economic transformation by bringing digital opportunities to villages.

He informed, “Over the past 9 years, numerous technology-based initiatives such as e-Office, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), BC Sakhi, and Gram Sachivalaya have reduced the distance between governance and citizens. These efforts have accelerated digital empowerment and made services more accessible to the common people. Project Ganga represents the next important phase of this journey.”

The Chief Minister added, “The project, which is beginning in 21 districts in its first phase, must eventually reach all 57 thousand Gram Panchayats and approximately 8 thousand Nyaya Panchayats across the state. This will fulfil the vision of last-mile digital connectivity and help transform villages into smart villages.”

He stated, the state had set a target of preparing 8 thousand digital entrepreneurs to promote digital empowerment. Project Ganga will play an important role in achieving this objective. The government’s effort is not limited to providing internet connectivity but also aims to make youth self-reliant. The project will connect young people to the digital economy and create new opportunities for self-employment and entrepreneurship.

Congratulating the Hinduja Group for this initiative, the Chief Minister said, “Under the CM Yuva scheme, the state government is providing interest-free loans of up to ₹5 lakh to youth. Young people selected under Project Ganga will also be able to avail themselves of this facility and establish their own enterprises as Digital Service Providers.”

Emphasizing the importance of selection and training, the Chief Minister said, the success of the project will depend on trained and capable Digital Service Providers.

He directed that selected youth should be provided quality technical, managerial, and business training so that they can effectively develop digital service networks in their respective areas.

During the programme, Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna said, “Project Ganga is an important initiative towards the overall development of Uttar Pradesh.” He noted that widespread access to technology serves as the foundation for social and economic transformation.

Citing the example of mobile phones, he stated that technology has positively transformed the lives of even those who were once disconnected from it. Today, ordinary citizens are accessing government schemes through digital platforms and connecting directly with the country and the world.

He expressed confidence that Project Ganga will further accelerate this transformation by bringing digital services to every village.

Information Technology and Electronics Minister Sunil Kumar Sharma said, “Project Ganga is not merely a government programme but a strong foundation for Uttar Pradesh’s digital future. The initiative will open new opportunities for the state’s youth, students, farmers, and entrepreneurs and will become a catalyst for large-scale transformation in the years ahead.”

Representing the Hinduja Group, Group President Corporate Affairs Sunil Kumar Chaddha said, this initiative is an important step towards implementing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Digital India vision at the grassroots level.

He stated that Uttar Pradesh is the first state in the country to adopt such an innovative model. The Hinduja Group is supporting this project on a ‘No Profit, No Loss’ basis.

He further said, in accordance with the vision of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, extensive participation of women will be ensured in the project, and approximately 50 percent of the beneficiaries will be women.

Chairman of the State Transformation Commission Manoj Kumar Singh presented the framework of Project Ganga and stated, “It is not merely a broadband connectivity expansion project but a new model of digital entrepreneurship in rural Uttar Pradesh. Under the project, local youth will be developed as Digital Service Providers (DSPs), who will establish fiber broadband networks and provide digital services in their respective areas.”

He informed that the project aims to provide high-speed broadband connectivity to approximately 20 lakh families, prepare 8 to 10 thousand Digital Service Providers, and create more than one lakh direct and indirect employment opportunities.

He further said that Project Ganga will create new opportunities in rural areas through digital education, telemedicine, online skill training, e-governance, cyber security, public Wi-Fi, smart agriculture, and IT-based employment. Selected youth under the project will also receive training, technical assistance, support for network development, and business operations, enabling them to establish sustainable digital enterprises in their respective regions.