Project Ganga to lay foundation for digital edu, telemedicine & smart agriculture: CM

Lucknow: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday launched ‘Project Ganga’ to provide high-speed broadband connectivity to villages of Uttar Pradesh, accelerate digital inclusion and create self-employment opportunities for the youth.In addition to ensuring last-mile digital connectivity in rural areas, the project will expand opportunities for digital education, telemedicine, e-governance, skill development and technology-based employment.The CM said that broadband connectivity is a fundamental necessity in today’s era.“The pace of development is directly linked to the speed of the internet. Project Ganga is a significant step towards realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Digital India’ vision,” he said.“Just as the flow of Maa Ganga from Gangotri to Gangasagar has been the foundation of development, prosperity and life for the regions along its path, Project Ganga will serve as a robust foundation for UP’s digital prosperity,” Yogi said, adding that by bringing digital opportunities to villages, the initiative will create new possibilities for socio-economic transformation.Under Project Ganga, a comprehensive network of Digital Service Providers (DSPs) will be developed across the state. The initiative targets providing high-speed internet to approximately 20 lakh families, training 8,000-10,000 DSPs and creating over one lakh direct and indirect employment opportunities. The project is being rolled out in 21 districts in the first phase.He highlighted that over the past nine years, the gap between the govt and the public in Uttar Pradesh has narrowed through various technology-driven initiatives such as e-office, direct benefit transfer (DBT), BC Sakhi and gram sachivalayas.“These efforts have accelerated digital empowerment and facilitated easier access to services for the common man. Project Ganga represents the next crucial phase of this journey,” he said.He added that while the project is launching in 21 districts in the first phase, it will eventually be extended to all 57,000 gram panchayats and approximately 8,000 nyaya panchayats across the state.“The govt’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,” the CM said.Congratulating Hinduja Group on this initiative, the CM said that the state govt was providing interest-free loans of up to Rs 5 lakh to the youth through the CM Yuva Scheme. Youth selected under Project Ganga will also be able to leverage this facility to establish their own enterprises as digital service providers.Emphasising the importance of selection and training, Yogi said that 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 could effectively develop digital service networks in their respective areas.Finance minister Suresh Kumar Khanna described Project Ganga as a significant initiative for the holistic development of Uttar Pradesh. He said that widespread access to technology was the foundation for social and economic transformation.Information technology and electronics minister Sunil Kumar Sharma said that Project Ganga was not just a govt programme but a robust foundation for UP’s digital future.Group president (corporate affairs) of the Hinduja Group, Sunil Kumar Chadha, said that the initiative was a significant step towards realising PM Modi’s ‘Digital India’ vision at the grassroots.He said that Uttar Pradesh was the first state in the country to adopt such an innovative model.The Hinduja Group is collaborating on this project based on a ‘no-profit, no-loss’ principle.Chairman of State Transformation Commission, Manoj Kumar Singh, said that it was not merely a project for expanding internet connectivity but a new model for digital entrepreneurship in rural Uttar Pradesh. Under this initiative, local youths would be trained as DSPs. “They will establish fibre broadband networks in their respective areas and provide digital services,” he said.