The Ministry pointed to corrective steps, but the response looks tokenistic. Under the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA), only 43 Gram Panchayat Bhavans of Gujarat have been approved for computers, a drop in the ocean compared to the staggering shortfall.But computers aren’t the only concern; connectivity is another. Of Gujarat’s 14,674 Gram Panchayats, 14,563 enjoy broadband links, while 111 remain cut off from high-speed internet. This absence of connectivity, experts warn, directly impacts digital governance, online service delivery and even rural election processes. The timing of the disclosure is significant. On June 22, the Gujarat State Election Commission held polls for 8,326 Gram Panchayats. While Panchayat elections are officially non-partisan, the ruling BJP claimed that a majority of BJP-backed Sarpanches emerged victorious, a reminder of how vital these digitally lagging institutions are in shaping grassroots politics. The government also clarified the federal framework of responsibility. Panchayats, being local governments, fall under the State List of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution. This makes it primarily the responsibility of states and Union Territories to equip them with computers and internet. Yet, the Centre supplements these efforts under RGSA, albeit in a limited way, with a sharper focus on the under-served North Eastern states.
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