Lok Sabha Question No. 747 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-04
Subject: Digital Village Pilot Project in Tamil Nadu
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Shri Navaskani K, Shri Selvam G, Shri C N Annadurai

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 747

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 04.02.2026

## DIGITAL VILLAGE PILOT PROJECT IN TAMIL NADU

## 747.    SHRI NAVASKANI K:

SHRI SELVAM G:

SHRI C N ANNADURAI:

Will the Minister of ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has implemented the Digital Village Pilot Project in Tamil Nadu including villages selected from the districts of Ramanathapuram, Kanchipuram and Tiruvannamalai to provide education, healthcare, skill development, solar-powered lighting and financial inclusion services;
- (b) if so, the details of the villages covered, the nature of services provided and the total funds allocated, released and utilized under the project in these districts;
- (c) the details of impact of the Digital Village Pilot Project in Tamil Nadu particularly in the above districts;
- (d) whether the Government proposes to launch a similar or expanded initiative to digitally empower rural  and  remote  areas,  especially  in  Ramanathapuram,  Kanchipuram  and  Tiruvannamalai  districts, based on the experience of the pilot project; and
- (e) if so, the details and expected timeline for implementation of such a follow-up programme?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI JITIN PRASADA)

(a) to (e):  'Digital Village Pilot Project' was initiated to provide education services, health services, skill  development  services,  solar  powered  streetlights  and  financial  inclusion  services  along  with Government-to citizen services and business-to-citizen services in 700 villages (one village from each district of States and Union Territories (UTs)) across the country.

A total of 32 villages were covered under the Digital Village pilot project in the state of Tamil Nadu. The  details  of  the  villages  covered  under  the  districts  of  Ramanathapuram,  Kanchipuram  and Tiruvannamalai in the state of Tamil Nadu are as follows:

|   Sr. No. | District Name   | Sub-District / Block   | Gram Panchayat   | Village Name   |
|-----------|-----------------|------------------------|------------------|----------------|
|         1 | Ramanathapuram  | Paramakudi             | Vendhoni         | Vendhoni       |
|         2 | Tiruvannamalai  | Tiruvannamalai         | Vengikkal        | Vengikkal      |
|         3 | Kanchipuram     | Kanchipuram            | Kanchipuram      | Kilkathirpur   |

The Digital Village pilot project has been implemented at a cost of Rs. 62.58 crore on pan India basis including the villages in these districts.

The project has been successfully closed w.e.f 31st March, 2024.

The services provided under the said project are as follows:

- i. Education  Services:  Courses  provided  under  this  project-  Basic  Computer  Course (BCC),  Course  on  Computer  Concept  (CCC),  Tally-  Kaushal  Praman  Patra,  Basic Course in Information Technology (BCIT).
- ii. Additional Education: Competitive exam training, fundamental of CAD (Computer Aided Design)
- iii. Health Services: Tele-health and Tele-Veterinary consultation
- iv. Financial inclusion awareness programme
- v. Solar streetlights
- vi. Skill  development  in  (a)  Automotive  technician,  (b)  Handset  repair,  (c)  Field technician -Home appliance, (d) Electrical technician.

The above services have benefitted the beneficiaries in several aspects with few of them as follows:

- Various education courses offered in Digital Villages enabled beneficiaries to acquire basic computer skills, fundamental accounting knowledge and using Tally for accounting purposes.
- Beneficiaries trained in diverse skill sets through professional courses under the Digital Village initiative have experienced enhanced employability opportunities and increased scope for entrepreneurship.
- Health  Services  delivered  in  Digital  Village  have  significantly  improved  access  to essential healthcare services, particularly in rural and remote areas.
- Financial  Inclusion  Awareness  Program  has  improved  awareness  and  adoption  of affordable financial products and services.
- Installation  of  Solar  powered  streetlights  has  contributed  to  improved  public  safety, enhanced mobility during night hours and promotion of renewable energy usage.
- Delivery  of  various  Government-to-Citizen  (G2C)  and  Business-to-Citizen  (B2C) services  through  Digital  Villages  has  strengthened  last  mile  service  delivery  and enhanced convenience for rural citizens.

*******