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Find out how a letter to Modi changed a Uttarakhand village's digital fortune

Speed News Desk | Updated on: 10 February 2017, 1:49 IST

After failing several times to get digital connectivity to his village, an RTI activist, Ajay Kumar, finally wrote to Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on June 1.

To his utmost surprise, Kumar received a quick response and was informed that his village, Dudhali, near Dehradun, will be soon provided with internet facilities under the PM's Digital India initiative which aims to connect rural areas with high-speed internet networks.

Ajay Kumar admits that he had never expected such a quick response from PMO.

As reported by TOI, the Union rural development ministry and the Uttarakhand government was notified about his request by the PMO and the later uploaded the response and action on the PMO-PG website.

By June 17, PMO informed Kumar about the officials officials entrusted to review the action both in Uttarakhand and the central government. Kumar said, "I had written to the PM demanding internet connectivity, e-smart classes in the schools, e-library and connecting the village with the optical fibre network."

Last week, Uttarakhand government informed Kumar that the IT department has started working towards his requests.

He had demanded setting up of common services centre (CSC) in the village to begin internet-based services like issuing of certificates including domicile, caste, birth, death and payment of water and power bills.

The village, 20km away from the state capital, has a population of about 7,000.

State government officials admitted about the direction from the PMO and said they are now preparing a plan of action.

First published: 20 June 2016, 5:10 IST