As many as 2,50,000 village panchayats in the country would be provided broadband connectivity within a period of three years, Communication and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has said. The plan will help micro industries grow in the rural areas.
Interacting with the media here, the Minister said that there is a target of covering at least 50,000 gram panchayats within this financial year and 1,00,000 village panchayats each in the years 2015-16 and 2016-17. Improvement of performance of BSNL and MTNL was a key area of concern for his Ministry and his objective was to improve the services of these organizations for better consumer satisfaction.
“The moral of the Department was not in happy situation because of this being in news for wrong reasons in the past. It was clearly conveyed by Mr Prasad that now decision will be taken on merits and days of lobbying are over,” an official release quoting the minister said.
He emphasized that improvement of BSNL and MTNL both in terms of performance and infrastructure would be an important area of this priority. He would be playing a pro-active role in monitoring functioning of the two bodies. For this he has directed for installation of suitable equipment in his chamber.
“If the Base Transmission Station in a particular circle are not functioning in a satisfactory manner then serious view will be taken,” he was quoted as having said.
The Government was committed to improving the telecom network in the North-Eastern region and around 8,000 mobile towers shall be set up at an approximate cost of Rs.5,000 crore. Prasad informed that in principle approval has been given for a nation-wide Mobile Network Portability (MNP) and its implementation would begin after TRAI submits its recommendations.
2.5 lakh villages to get broadband internet in 3 yrs; boom for micro units in rural land
Published On - June 18, 2014
