Devendra Fadnavis launches India’s first ‘smart intelligent’ village in Nagpur’s Satnavari

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi had long recognised that the future of India lies in providing communication and internet connectivity to every village. He emphasised the role of technology in creating prosperous villages, strengthening agriculture, and improving education. With this vision, the BharatNet programme was initiated, laying optical fibre across villages, just as electricity lines were laid years ago.”

“Building on this foundation, I launched the MahaNet, completing the first phase of BharatNet by 2019 and starting the second phase soon after. However, merely laying fibre lines is not enough. While the infrastructure reached villages, its potential was underutilised. After we came back to power, we realised, Now, the time has come to harness this connectivity fully and bring technology-driven change at the grassroots.”

Fadnavis added, “Our vision is clear: in every taluka of Maharashtra, we will develop at least 10 smart and intelligent villages, eventually expanding this model across the entire state.”

A consortium of domestic design-led telecom players, supporting Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat, under the umbrella of ‘Voice of Indian Communication Technology Enterprises’ (VoICE), held a meeting with Fadnavi, the Cabinet secretary, and senior officials of the Maharashtra government on June 19. The meeting discussed a pilot project of a smart intelligent village to in the Nagpur district, the first of its kind in India.

“When a team presented a model to me, I realised its uniqueness. Until now, we were dependent on foreign technologies. But through VoICE, 24 Indian companies have come together to design this model, directly contributing to Prime Minister Modi’s dream of Aatmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India). We asked them to take up a pilot project here in Satnavari,” said Fadnavis.

“Our farmers face rising production costs while competing in a global market where countries use advanced technology to lower costs and maximise productivity. Meanwhile, in India, excessive use of fertilisers has reduced soil capacity and overall yield. The solution to these challenges lies in technology,” he added.

He said with modern sensors, farmers can now control irrigation from their phones, ensuring only the required amount of water is used. “Drones can carry out cost-effective spraying, saving water, fertilisers, and pesticides while reducing dependence on expensive labour. Soil testing will help diagnose crop diseases, and AI-driven systems will even predict potential threats based on local environmental data,” he said.

“Water quality monitoring has also begun in the village. A sensor installed in the village pond alerts us to declining water levels or contamination. Proactive measures will help prevent disease outbreaks,” said Fadnavis.

Other interventions mentioned by Devendra Fadnavis during his address include the implementation of smart lighting in villages to reduce electricity bills for Gram Panchayats. Additionally, he proposed the use of CCTV and smart surveillance systems for disaster preparedness and safety.

To enhance education, AI-enabled learning will be introduced to provide students in Satnavari’s schools and anganwadis with the same quality of lessons offered in top schools across India. Furthermore, telemedicine and connected health services will be implemented to lower travel costs and ensure timely medical care.

“Step by step, we will introduce 18 different smart interventions that will transform life in Satnavari. The success of this experiment will inspire people across Maharashtra to demand similar changes in their own villages,” Fadnavis said.

Satnavari, he said, will serve as the template for smart, technology-driven rural development in Maharashtra. Fadnavis asked the residents to use these services wisely and set an example for the entire country.

“Let Satnavari emerge as the most progressive village in India,” he said.
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Use cases being covered in the development of this village will include e-health, e-education, smart agriculture, smart irrigation, smart panchayat management, drone-controlled fertiliser and pesticide spraying, fisheries, bank-on-wheel, smart surveillance, smart transportation, and many more.

Vote-theft allegations a conspiracy, says Fadnavis

After the event, while interacting with media, Fadnavis addressed MNS leader Raj Thackeray’s vote theft claims and said, “Ghalib once said, ‘Dil behlane ke liye khyal accha hai (It’s a nice thought to keep the heart happy)’. That is exactly what they are doing, trying to console themselves and their workers. The truth is, we were winning.”

“Instead of accepting defeat, they are telling their workers that it was a conspiracy. But unless they acknowledge reality, their condition will remain the same. Remember, when Modi ji won in 2014, Congress was in power both in Maharashtra and at the Centre. The real reason for their repeated losses is that people have rejected them. Unless they reflect honestly on why this is happening, instead of beating their chests and blaming others, they will never return to power.”

Regarding the Ladki Bahin Yojana scam, Fadnavis said, “Our investigation is ongoing. We are identifying the fraudulent beneficiaries, and action will be taken.”

He also talked about the stability of the ruling alliance, “Mahayuti is unbreakable. Politics is not about who meets whom; alliances are not decided that way. Mahayuti is strong, and when we fight together, we are confident of victory.”