Gaghli village, located in the Bhavnagar district of Gujarat, has become a hub of digital transactions through the e-Gram platform. With the nearest bank situated 6 kilometers away, this digital service has proved to be a game-changer for the village, enabling transactions amounting to a staggering Rs 17.5 crore.
Jayeshbhai Parghi, a resident of Gaghli village, has been instrumental in facilitating these transactions. Every morning for the past 12 years, Jayeshbhai sets out on his two-wheeler (sometimes an e-bike won as a prize) to the panchayat office. People from the village gather in long queues to make payments for gas bills, electricity bills, and to send their weekly wages to their families back home. Through the e-gram services, these transactions have become seamless and convenient.
Last year, Jayeshbhai surpassed all previous records by facilitating transfers worth over Rs 15 crore in 2022. In the first half of 2023, the transfers have already exceeded 2.5 crores. This remarkable feat can be attributed to the lack of a nearby bank and the additional usage of e-gram services by laborers working in the GIDC industrial estate. Thousands of laborers come to the panchayat office to avail themselves of the e-gram services, often transferring larger sums of money to support their families.
The Bhavnagar collector’s office and Gram panchayat officials have acknowledged the significance of these transactions. Speaking to Republic, Jayesh Parghi mentioned that on a daily basis, the entire village, along with the laborers, conducts transactions worth Rs 4-5 lakh. This highlights the essential role played by e-gram services in facilitating financial transactions in this rural area.
The collector of Bhavnagar, IAS RK Mehta, praised the efforts of individuals like Jayeshbhai. He emphasized that the E-Gram Vishwagram scheme has played a vital role in promoting financial inclusion and bringing online government services to rural areas. These services, provided at the village level, have brought numerous benefits to the local community.
Additionally, Dr. Prashant Jilova, the district development officer, highlighted the range of services offered at the Ghangli Gram Panchayat’s e-gram center. These services include mobile recharge, bill payments, insurance, money transfers, Aadhaar services, and more. Furthermore, the center offers Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AEPS) to facilitate salary withdrawals for workers in the nearby GIDC area.
Under the Government to Citizen (G2C) services, Ghangli Gram Panchayat’s e-gram center provides various services like land records, birth and death records, RTO forms, online recruitment forms, PAN cards, Ayushman cards, Aadhaar cards, election cards, and applications related to senior citizen benefits, widow certificates, income certificates, and ration cards. These services are conveniently accessible through the digital service setu, saving applicants time and travel expenses.
The success of the e-Gram platform in Gaghli village demonstrates the transformative power of digital services in rural areas. Not only has it made financial transactions more accessible and convenient, but it has also promoted financial inclusion and improved the overall quality of life for the villagers. With continued efforts from dedicated individuals like Jayeshbhai, the e-Gram platform is poised to enhance digital connectivity and services in many more rural communities across the country.
