Maharashtra Government in pact with Lenovo to provide technology for Village Social Transformation Mission

Lenovo has joined hands with Maharashtra government to provide technology for the first phase of The Village Social Transformation Mission, an initiative that aims to transform 1,000 villages affected by drought or social challenges into model villages by 2018.

The initiative was announced by the chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in August 2016.

''The State governments are taking a number of proactive measures to ensure 'Digital India' becomes a reality,'' said Rahul Agarwal, MD & CEO, Lenovo India at a function in Pune.

''We believe that technology implementation at the grass root level is the key to a successful transformation story of our country. The initiative by the state government is a step in the right direction to meet the goal of self-sustainable development and empowering the citizens by technology,'' he added.

Under the partnership, Lenovo will provide 110 tablets with a view to bring technology-based efficiencies in health, education, water conservation and irrigation programmes.

Lenovo tablets will be used by rural development fellows who have been specifically hired to take the mission forward. The first phase will cover 100 villages that will cover talukas and gram panchayats of Aurangabad, Nagpur and Wardha districts.

The Chief Minister's Fellowship members will own the social transformation and will work with the local Government (Gram Panchyats) and Corporates, NGOs and the State Government.

The initiative fits well into Lenovo's CSR strategy and vision for providing technology for quality education that includes skill training and learning practical aspects of sustainable development through technology based platforms.