A study on India’s first digital village: Akodara

Abstract

Internet is undeniably the most significant technological advancement in the 20th century. It has varied applications and uses, and is being used in different forms using different devices. Under the leadership of PM Modi, the government of India, “aims at profoundly touching the lives of everyone with the transformation travelling the paths of both rural and urban India” using Internet technology under the Digital India Scheme. In line with our national vision of Digital India, ICICI Bank has partnered with the Government of Gujarat to transform Akodara into a Digital Village. In 2015, ICICI declared of having enabled Akodara as the first digital village of the country. This study aims at understanding the goals of the “Digital India” initiative, and the “Digital Village” scheme of ICICI bank, to understand the socio-economic factors that led to selection of Akodara, and to ponder if the village of Akodara is truly digital in terms of digital/ E-governance. The study first explores the initiatives and the impact on digital governance. Then the study discusses the village of Akodara to identify the current situation of the village. The study then analyses the data gathered from secondary literature, and primary data gathered by talking to the people of Akodara, ICICI bank, and the Panchayat of the village to understand the impact of the Digitisation scheme on the lives of the villagers.