Time to go hi-tech for 62 gram panchayats

Pilot project expected to be complete by October 15

GN Bureau | September 28, 2012



The central government’s plan to provide high-speed broadband network to gram panchayats across the country has started. In the pilot stage, 62 gram panchayats will go hi-tech after being connected through the national broadband network.

These 62 panchayats fall under three blocks - Arain in Rajasthan, Panisagar in Tripura and Paravada in Andhra Pradesh. The work is expected to be complete by October 15.

Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT) has already completed the demonstration of the project. Pilot trails will commence after October 15. During the pilot project, various activities including e-learning, tele-medicine and skill development will be tested. Based on the outcome of the project, the process of laying the optical cable across the country covering 2.45 lakh gram panchayats will begin.
The task for laying the cable has been given to Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), Railtel, Powergrid. The project is expected to be completed by 2014.

The government at the Centre is investing Rs 20,000 crore in the project that hopes to connect 160 million Indian house holds with high speed internet. At present, the number of broadband connections in the country is 10.3 million.

The 11 states—Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Manipur, Rajasthan, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarkhand, Daman and Diu have given their consent for the project,  and rest of the states are under process, says the report.

Under the National Optical Fibre Network scheme, the government aims for an inclusive growth through broadband in different sectors including education, medical treatment and entertainment. Besides, it will also help to provide e-governance and citizen-centric services particularly in the rural areas. The government formed special purpose vehicle Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL) to roll out the broadband network.

Comments

 

Other News

India faces critical shortage of skin donors amid rising burn cases

India reports nearly 70 lakh burn injury cases every year, resulting in approximately 1.4 lakh deaths annually. Experts estimate that up to 50% of these lives could be saved with adequate access to skin donations.   A significant concern is that around 70% of burn victims fall wi

Not just politics, let`s discuss policies too

Why public policy matters Most days, India`s loudest debates stop at the ballot box. We can name every major leader and recall every campaign slogan. Still, far fewer of us can explain why a widow`s pension is delayed or how a government school`s budget is actually approved. That

When algorithms decide and children die

The images have not left me, of dead and wounded children being carried in the arms of the medics and relatives to the ambulances and hospitals. On February 28, at the start of Operation Epic Fury, cruise missiles struck the Shajareh Tayyebeh school – officially named a girls’ school, in Minab,

The economics of representation: Why women in power matter

India’s democracy has grown in scale, but not quite in balance. Women today are active participants in elections, influencing outcomes in ways that were not as visible earlier. Yet their presence in legislative institutions continues to lag behind. The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam was meant to addres

India will be powerful, not aggressive: Bhaiyyaji

India is poised to emerge as a global power but will remain rooted in its civilisational ethos of non-aggression and harmony, former RSS General Secretary Suresh `Bhaiyyaji` Joshi has said.   He was speaking at the launch of “Rashtrabhav,” a book by Ravindra Sathe

AI: Code, Control, Conquer

India today stands at a critical juncture in the area of artificial intelligence. While the country is among the fastest adopters of AI in the world, it remains heavily reliant on technologies developed elsewhere. This paradox, experts warn, cannot persist if India seeks technological sovereignty.


Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter