Bhubaneswar: Union communications minister Ravi Shankar Prasad Sunday said that there are 1,689 Gram Panchayats (GPs) in Odisha with active broadband connections and out of which 206 GPs have commercial connections.
Answering to a question in Lok Sabha, Prasad said, “In Odisha, a total of 3,992 GPs (including block headquarters) have been taken up in Phase-I for providing connectivity. Out of them, a total of 3,463 GPs (including block headquarters) have been tested with broadband connections. Around 1,689 GPs have active broadband connections, out of which 206 GPs have commercial connections.”
He also said that the ministry has taken many initiatives for proper maintenance and functioning as well as for providing stable broadband connections. Network is being monitored through Network Operating Centre (NOC) and its reports are being monitored on a regular basis.
“The Digital Communications Commission (DCC) June 13, 2019 has approved to award the work of maintenance (O&M of incremental Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) network and First Line Maintenance of equipment and supporting infrastructure) in each of 1.25 lakh GPs of the BharatNet Phase-I, including in Odisha, to CSC e-Governance Services India Limited. The O&M of BharatNet Phase-II network, including in Odisha, is to be carried out mainly through the respective Project Implementation Agencies (PIA),” Prasad said.
According to him, the infrastructure created under BharatNet project to provide broadband connections is being utilized through Service Provider(s), particularly BSNL and CSC e-Governance Services India Limited. “The matter has already been taken up with the State Governments for taking Broadband connections by utilizing the BharatNet infrastructure in all the GPs of the country,” the minister said.
It was also said that Fibre to the Home (FTTH) connections are being provided from BharatNet network.
According to the report, under this project, the last mile connectivity, through Wi-Fi or any other suitable broadband technology is to be provided at all the GPs in the country. The Digital Communications Commission (DCC) June 13, 2019 has approved to award the work of provisioning of 2 Wi-Fi Access Points (APs) in each of the 90,000 GPs of BharatNet Phase-I in all the States, including Odisha, except where Wi-Fi APs are provided under Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) schemes.
