Gandhinagar, March 11: The Gujarat government has allocated ₹135 crore in this year's budget to modernize and upgrade the Gujarat State Wide Area Network (GSWAN) infrastructure, Science and Technology Minister Arjun Modhwadia informed the Assembly on Wednesday.
Responding to a question from a legislator, Modhwadia said the investment aims to strengthen the state's digital backbone and improve the security and efficiency of the network connecting government offices across Gujarat.
The GSWAN network, launched in 2001, initially operated at 34 Mbps but has since been significantly expanded.
"Gujarat has always remained at the forefront in realizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of Digital India," the minister said in the Assembly.
He added that the state has steadily upgraded its data network infrastructure to support digital governance and administrative connectivity.
According to the minister, district collector offices in the state are now connected through the network with speeds of up to 1 Gbps.
At the taluka level, mamlatdar and other government offices have been provided connectivity ranging from 200 Mbps to 500 Mbps.
These upgrades, he said, have strengthened communication and data exchange within the state administration.
Modhwadia said Gujarat holds a leading position in the country in building a robust data network infrastructure through the GSWAN system.
He also outlined the state government’s broader objective of extending digital connectivity beyond government offices.
"The state government's aim is to deliver data network connectivity from districts to talukas and from talukas to citizens' homes through the Gujarat Fibre Grid network," he said.
The minister further stated that the government has put in place mechanisms to address technical issues related to the network.
A state-level help desk system has been set up to effectively resolve and monitor complaints related to GSWAN services.
He said the status of complaints is regularly monitored to ensure consistent service quality and that issues are addressed promptly.
The GSWAN network serves as the backbone for various government services and digital platforms used by departments across Gujarat, enabling administrative coordination and supporting the delivery of online public services.