Digital India: Nichlagarh has no phone connection but a WiFi network
The village is deprived of any mobile connection, but since August 2015 sale of smartphones has increased in the area after non-profit Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) set up a WiFi network.
In Short
- Nichlagarh near Mount Abu doesn't have telephones, but WiFi connection.
- Female sarpanch of Nichalgarh met US President Barack Obama in June 2015.
Nichlagarh near Mount Abu in Rajasthan made headlines when its female sarpanch met US President Barack Obama in June 2015. But the village's 7,500 residents still have to travel at least 25 kilometres to make a phone call, get a print out or fax documents.
The village is deprived of any mobile connection, but since August 2015 sale of smartphones has increased in the area after non-profit Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) set up a WiFi network. Nichlagarh now is a tribal WiFi village, without any functional telecom service.
NO MOBILE NETWORK
The village not only lacks a mobile network but it gets disconnected from Mount Abu during the monsoon season as a water body nearby swells and roads get flooded. The area is populated by the Garasiya tribal community. During a survey, DEF found it to be darkest area in the country in terms of mobile network, but setting WiFi network here was a mammoth task.
LOCALS
Nichlagarh is home to mostly farmers and labours who are extremely poor and illiterate. Even government schemes and policy were not reaching the village.
"Nearest source of broadband was from Abu Road, aerially approximately 16 kilometre but the challenge was to get the line on the top of hills. We set up three hopping spots to bring in broadband to the village. Since August 2015 we have succeeded in giving seamless wireless network connectivity," said Shah Alam of DEF.
WIFI CONNECTIVITY
But the real success of the project is that every other institution in the village is seeking Internet connectivity. Now locals are being educated on computer use and they are applying for various government schemes and polices.
"We still cannot make mobile calls but are connected through Skype and WhatsApp. Locals have also started using social networking sites. Though we are not connected through mobile network, but we are just a click away from the world," said Mahesh a local.
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