Ahmedabad, Dec 12 (NationPress) The Chief Minister of Gujarat, Bhupendra Patel, has sanctioned a minimum payment of Rs 20 for every unit of work performed by Village Computer Entrepreneurs (VCEs) participating in the state's e-Gram Vishwagram initiative.

This decision emerged from the 12th Governing Body assembly of the e-Gram Vishwagram Society held in Gandhinagar. The Chief Minister underscored the necessity for equitable compensation for VCEs who provide crucial e-governance services to rural areas.

VCEs are responsible for a variety of digital services for rural communities, such as obtaining land record copies (7/12, 8-A, and Hak Patrak), registering farmers, entering procurement data for agricultural products, and issuing birth and death certificates, among other online services.

They also manage data entry tasks for several government programs. Previously, payments for VCEs fluctuated significantly, as each government department established its own commission rates for different activities. This often led to disparities in compensation for similar workloads across various departments.

Recognizing this issue, the Chief Minister instructed officials to unify the payment framework, ensuring that all VCEs receive no less than Rs 20 per unit of work, irrespective of the department assigning the task. In response to his directives, the Panchayat Department has circulated an official notice requiring all state departments to adhere to the new minimum payment guidelines.

Departments have also been directed to notify both the Panchayat Department and the e-Gram Vishwagram Society prior to allocating any work to VCEs. This strategy is anticipated to guarantee more consistent and fair earnings for numerous young digital entrepreneurs who are essential to the last-mile service delivery in rural Gujarat.

The villages of Gujarat showcase a rich cultural heritage and robust grassroots development across various regions, including Kutch, Saurashtra, and North and Central Gujarat. Each village possesses its own unique characteristics, whether it’s the craft hubs of Kutch noted for their embroidery and mud craftsmanship, the fertile agricultural regions of Anand and Kheda renowned for dairy farming, or the coastal communities of Saurashtra influenced by fishing and maritime traditions.