India, Aug. 25 -- Satnavari, a small village in rural Nagpur, has been designated as India's first "smart and intelligent" community through the implementation of a range of digital technologies and infrastructure.

The initiative was inaugurated on Sunday by Maharashtra chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis. As part of the state's broader rural digital transformation plan, the approach tested in Satnavari is intended to be extended to other regions of Maharashtra. Fadnavis announced that approximately "3,500 villages would be included in the first phase of the programme."

He further declared that "ten smart villages would be established in each taluka of the state, marking a significant push towards rural digitization."

The Smart and Intel...