I visited the cashless Gujarat village- Akodara that everyone’s talking about, and here’s my takeaway

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Providing basics and digitizing life. (Chanda Kochhar, MD, ICICI Bank)

Providing basics and digitizing life. (Chanda Kochhar, MD, ICICI Bank)
The bank has worked on providing basic infrastructure to improve the quality of life. From Wifi to regulating Market prices, they've tried to solve most conflicts by digitizing them. Wi-Fi connectivity is on a subscription basis.
Revenue earned from subscription goes to Gram Panchayat, who will use these earnings for management and maintenance of Wi-Fi infrastructure.
Key commodity prices from nearby markets are displayed on a digital screen setup at the Bank’s branch during open hours.
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A senior citizen conducting transaction at an ATM.

A senior citizen conducting transaction at an ATM.
Water Purification:

The Bank has facilitated the village cooperative for reviving the community-owned Reverse Osmosis (RO) based water treatment plant. Village pay Rs. 5 for 10 liters of drinking water.
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Students studing through tablets

Students studing through tablets
Education:

ICICI Bank has installed a portable integrated projector and computer with smart-board capabilities in the some of the high school classrooms.

This is an all-in-one device combining the functionality of a computer, projector, DVD player and speaker.

Students with IDs that enable digital attendence

Students with IDs that enable digital attendence
School management software and digitized attendance system have been installed in all the 3 schools in Akodara. If a child is absent then the parents get a text message after the class starts. This also makes sure that the attendance is genuinely put as students have to scan their school ID before sitting for a class.

The schools have started using the audio-visual curriculum of state education board in vernacular language and other such relevant equipment.
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One of the schools in Akodara

One of the schools in Akodara
Pinkesh Rawal, the English teacher at one of the senior secondary schools said that the addition of these screens beneficial because the notes did not disappear and can be revisited once the text has been erased, unlike other models.

The Internet can be connected from the device to access any online content.

Sunset near the Anganwadi

Sunset near the Anganwadi
Existing Anganwadi has been renovated to make it more children friendly and with an ambiance to encourage learning.

The Bank has put up LED TV and provided video-based educational content replacing paper charts and blackboard based teaching. They also provide pupils with free food.
While all of these services and amenities are sure to encourage students to have higher attendance and increase their interest in studies, the implementation makes the difference.
While things seemed to be working fine when we visited the schools, we don't know if these devices are used extensively.
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ATM at the center of the village (no lines!)

ATM at the center of the village (no lines!)
Milk Quality Testing:

Technology is used to determine the quality of milk that the villagers' cattle produce which can go up to 2100 liters a day!
Once the milk is measured by weight and quality, the milkman literally milks the cow and due payment in done to their bank accounts instantly.