Government may bundle internet, e-services projects into one

KOLKATA: The telecom department (DoT) plans to shortly move a Cabinet note to merge two key broadband ventures into a jumbo Rs 60,000-crore project to speed up delivery of high-speed internet and government services to the common man under the ambitious Digital India drive.
It is also weighing the pros and cons of mandating Bharat Broadband Networks (BBNL) to implement both the national broadband and government-to-citizen e-services projects as a single venture on a turnkey basis, a top department official told ET.Telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad is learnt to have sought the views of DoT and its rural network infrastructure financing arm, the Universal Services Obligation Fund (USOF), on a potential roadmap, including cost structures, of mandating BBNL to execute both the national optic fibre network, and also leverage it to deliver Wi-Fi-based e-services across rural India.
“The minister wanted DoT's views on whether BBNL has the requisite managerial depth and manpower resources to implement both projects to meet broadband targets in the backdrop of Digital India goals,“ a top government official present in a recent meeting chaired by Prasad told ET.
In an internal note, seen by ET, DoT has suggested contracts for such a bundled broadband project be "awarded through a single tender". It has also advocated a common vendor to handle the optic fibre rollout and creation of Wi-Fi hotspots at village block level for delivering e-services. It believes a common vendor will be able optimise integration of the two networks and also ensure greater reliability and robustness.
Bundling the two broadband projects, according to DoT, "will also save considerable time in tendering process by combining two project tenders into one", the note shows.
DoT is taking a relook as the much hyped national broadband venture is running way behind schedule and the Prime Minister's Office is keen to involve the private sector to hasten matters. Global companies such as Facebook, Microsoft, Hewlett Packard and Google have already evinced an interest to partner with the Modi government in various capacities in the national broadband venture, especially for last mile connectivity to the rural consumer.