Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Monday, October 5, that digital libraries now reach 57,600 gram panchayats. He noted that these centers provide computers and internet to rural students. "No longer will the distance to the city hinder education, digital gateway to knowledge opens in the village," he said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath highlighted what he framed as a rapid expansion of digital education infrastructure in the state, citing the growing number of digital libraries from around 76 state- and district-level locations before 2017 to 57,600 gram panchayats now under the BJP government.

He made the claim on Monday, October 5, while exemplifying a digital library in Khasaha Mohammadpur village of Bahraich district, which he said was bringing books, computers and online learning resources closer to students in rural areas.

"No longer will the distance to the city hinder education, digital gateway to knowledge opens in the village," the UP CM said in a post in Hindi on X.

According to the Chief Minister, the library, established at the local gram panchayat secretariat, has computers, printers, high-speed internet, Wi-Fi, a smart TV and CCTV cameras. He said it also has books for competitive examinations and literature published by the National Book Trust.

"The distance consumed both time and money," he said, adding that the availability of resources in villages was helping young people spend that time on their studies instead.

"With resources now closer at hand, the path to dreams has become easier too," the CM said, adding that children and young people were using the library for studying, e-learning and competitive exam preparation.

He said the development initiative in Khasaha Mohammadpur was part of a wider expansion of digital libraries across UP.

He claimed that before 2017, e-library facilities were available at around 76 locations at the state and district levels, while digital libraries have now reached 57,600 gram panchayats.

He said nearly 60 lakh young people had been provided with smartphones and tablets, while more than 32,000 schools had smart classrooms and over 15,000 schools had ICT labs.

Taking aim at the previous Samajwadi Party regime, the Chief Minister also compared the current situation with the 2012-16 period.

He claimed that 6.22 lakh children did not receive textbooks and 97 lakh children did not receive uniforms despite adequate government funds being available at the time.

He said gram panchayat secretariats were taking on a role beyond administrative services, becoming centres for knowledge and technology as well.