Budget Support : Central sector telecom projects may get higher funds

New Delhi: The general Budget in July is likely to give a fillip to the government's telecom projects to make the Prime Minister's vision of Digital India a success.

Under the roadmap, the Department of Telecom's (DoT) Central sector projects will be allocated more funds.

The government has set a target of creating 1 lakh digital villages in the next five years with an aim to foster financial inclusion.

Digital villages are an integral scheme linked with the Digital India initiative, which aims to provide a platform for availability of services such as telemedicine, tele-education, LED street lighting, Wi-Fi and skill development to the people at the gram panchayat level across the country.

Official sources said the department has sought higher allocations in central sector projects as well own projects.

The Central sector schemes could see a minimum 15 per cent rise from the Rs 13,400 crore allocated in the interim Budget.

The Central sector projects are BharatNet to provide affordable broadband services to citizens and institutions in rural areas.