One lakh gram panchayats connected via high-speed optical fibre networks
As per the pre-declared deadline of December 31, 2017, the Government of India had an aim to connect more than a lakh gram panchayats across the country with high speed optical fibre networks. With the help of BharatNet network, the Government has achieved this significant milestone by completing phase-1 of the project recently. The network envisioned delivery of high-speed broadband services in over 2.5 lakh villages, benefitting more than 200 million rural Indians.
Union Minister for Communications Shri Manoj Sinha described BharatNet as the world’s largest rural broadband project created on the lines of Create, Collaborate and Conquer, and expressed hope that the project will generate massive employment opportunities both directly and indirectly in the country in days to come. He stressed on the need to complete the second phase of the BharatNet well before the target of March, 2019, to usher in a rural digital revolution by connecting 2 lakh and 50,000 gram panchayats with broadband network. The project aims to provide affordable broadband services to citizens and institutions in rural and remote areas, in partnership with states and the private sector.
Right from the day of assuming power, Digital India and Make in India have been two big USPs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Digital India comprises various initiatives under the single programme each targeted to prepare India for becoming a knowledge economy and for bringing good governance to citizens through synchronised and co-ordinated engagement of the entire Government.
This programme has been envisaged and coordinated by the Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY) in collaboration with various Central Ministries/Departments and State Governments. With the Prime Minister as the Chairman of Monitoring Committee on Digital India, activities under the Digital India initiative is being carefully monitored. All the existing and ongoing e-governance initiatives have been revamped to align them with the principles of Digital India.
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