Government to take steps to bring down broadband access costs: Pilot -Governance Now

Government to take steps to bring down broadband access costs: Pilot

Every panchayat to be connected with high speed broadband by 2012

PTI | October 28, 2010

The government plans to take steps to bring down broadband access costs and is committed to connecting every single panchayat in the country with high- speed Internet in two years, Minister of State for Communications and IT Sachin Pilot said here today.

"The commitment of the government of India has been that by 2012, we will connect every single panchayat with high- speed broadband access," he said while speaking at the three- day Bangalore IT.Biz conference, an annual, state-sponsored technology event.

IT Secretary Shashi Kant Sharma spoke of the challenge of low broadband connectivity, coupled with high broadband costs, in rural areas.

"It's of importance for the government to take the necessary steps to bring down the cost of broadband access as well as ensure functional connectivity up to the panchayat level," Sharma said.

Pilot said that when the panchayats are connected with high-speed broadband, it would result in a paradigm shift in the interface between citizens and the state government, the Centre and local bodies in terms of quicker, faster and transparent delivery of services.

Speaking in general terms, Sharma said when information is made available online, it raises the twin concerns of cyber security of systems and data and privacy of personal information and this needs to be addressed.

"The Department of Information Technology intends to facilitate this through creation of appropriate standards to be developed, customised and adapted across all government systems," he said, adding that these standards are aimed at providing seamless access in a more secure and trusted manner.

Pilot stressed that he does not want see the IT sector as the elitist preserve of the educated class in a few cities.

"It's my endeavour to make sure that this image -- the psychological barriers that we have had of the IT sector -- should be broken down," he said.

Pilot added: "The real job, the real essence, the real value of the IT sector is not merely in creating investments and earning dollars. If the IT sector can improve the life of the common man, that's the true value..."

Comments

Other News

India reaffirms commitment to climate multilateralism

India has reaffirmed its commitment to climate multilateralism and the principles of Equity and Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC), calling for a fair, equitable and ambitious outcome at the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) to the United Nations Framewo

How the mind can help the body heal itself

Why do some people recover from illness against all odds? Can our beliefs, emotions and consciousness influence the body’s ability to heal? Drawing on over three decades of experience in medicine, research and medical innovation, internationally trained ophthalmologist and author Dr Dinesh Verma ex

1,364 anti-cancer formulations to cost less from today

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, has capped trade margins on the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) of 137 anti-cancer drugs. This was based on the recommendations of an Expert Committee constitute

Who checks the books?

I read about the news about the Coimbatore library over coffee this morning. On the face of it, the headline was about a political ‘war’ between the DMK and TVK. But what stayed with me was something much more important than the blame game behind what had transpired. A writer walking through

Development paradox: Falling poverty miracle and an inequality problem

India’s reduction in poverty over the past decade is a development achievement of considerable significance. The World Bank’s April 2026 ‘India Development Update’ estimates that the share of Indians living below the international extreme-poverty line of $3.00 per person per day i

In Arunachal, a river we call mother

In Arunachal Pradesh, the Siang is not just a river. For many of us, especially the Adi people, it is part of our family. Our grandparents fished in it. Children learned to swim in it. Our farms drink from it. When someone says a huge dam will be built on it, we do not hear the word "project".