1.10 lakh gram panchayats given optical fibre connectivity: Government

NEW DELHI: Optical fibre connectivity has been provided to more than 1.10 lakh gram panchayats under the BharatNet project, the government said on Thursday.
The project is aimed at providing broadband connectivity to all gram panchayats in the country.

Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar told the Lok Sabha that the government has taken initiatives to provide Internet/ e-panchayat facility at all panchayats."As on January 21, 2018, optical fibre connectivity has been provided to 1,10,848 gram panchayats by laying 2,58,635 kilometres of optical fibre cable and 1,01,936 gram panchayats have been made service ready under the BharatNet project (phase I)," the minister said in a written reply.

The second phase of the project is aimed at connecting the remaining 1.5 lakh gram panchayats and is targeted to be completed, as per the modified strategy, by March 2019, he added.

Citing the ministry of electronics and information technology, Tomar said Common Services Centre Special Purpose Vehicle (CSC-SPV) has been directed by the Telecom Commission to enable wi-fi choupal project at BharatNet enabled gram panchayats.

This is aimed at "provisioning and enhancing wi-fi connectivity in rural India through end delivery points ie. Common Service Centres (CSCs)," he added.CSC provides various citizen centric services such as those related to financial inclusion, education and skill development, among others.