Connectivity and identity are crucial for accelerating development in remote and tribal regions of the country. Many villages lack basic infrastructure such as electricity, roads, internet and access to the outside world, which often leaves them unrecognised even on maps.
Meanwhile, Pune-based Suyash Charitable Trust has undertaken an innovative initiative of registering ‘Google Pins’ to bring 345 remote villages onto the global digital map. This effort is helping these villages gain recognition at national and international levels, thereby strengthening rural development.
With the help of Google Pins, the exact locations of these remote villages are now visible on maps. This makes it easier for government schemes, emergency services, healthcare, educational initiatives and NGOs to reach these areas.
Accurate location data is essential for delivering aid or implementing development projects, and Google Pins have made this information readily accessible, providing great support to administrators and support organisations.
This initiative has also brought a positive change among local residents. Seeing their village appear on the global map instils a sense of pride and motivates them to be part of the development mainstream. It also helps students, researchers, and social workers to access these areas more efficiently.
Where has the initiative been implemented?
In Maharashtra, the initiative has been implemented in villages such as Khatkawali, Bela, Bori, Kamapur, and Jamlivan in Melghat (Amravati); Pandharpani, Tamli, Kankalkaro, Chilmatol, Navaregaon, Bharatola, Selkuvipada, Patilpada, and Kelibarpada in Gadchiroli; and Kotalipada, Khutmal, and Rentabapada in Nandurbar.
In Odisha, work is ongoing in Patpur (Ganjam), Gajapati, Soroda, and Kandhamal. The Trust has also marked its presence in regions like Darrang and Sivasagar in Assam, and parts of Arunachal Pradesh. In Rajasthan, Kushalgarh and Banswara, as well as in Madhya Pradesh’s Jhabua and Dhar districts, several villages have been registered with Google Pins.
