uducherry has raced ahead in digital connectivity by becoming one of the first places to complete the National Optical Fibre Network project or BharatNet.
The National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) project, which was renamed BharatNet in April, is a joint effort between the Centre and the State, and aims at delivering high-speed broadband connectivity to 2.5 lakh gram panchayats in the country through optical fibre cables by December 2016.
In Puducherry and Karaikal districts, 98 gram panchayats in three blocks — Ariyankuppam (37), Villianur (34) and Karaikal (27) — have been connected at a speed of 100 Mbps . RCIL has laid 82 km of new cable for the Rs. 3.5-crore project.
Services to the public will be extended through Common Services Centres (CSC), and 17 CSCs in Puducherry and 15 CSCs in Karaikal are to be opened soon at panchayat offices, an official from Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL) said.
The Rs. 20,000-crore project has been funded by the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF).
It is touted to be the world’s largest rural broadband connectivity project through optical fibre, and aims at providing non-discriminatory access infrastructure to all service providers.
E-governance services, e-education, e-healthcare, e-commerce, public Internet access, panchayat management, knowledge dissemination and employment generation are some of the areas of digital revolution this project is expected to usher in.
BBNL is the implementing agency for BharatNet in India, and RailTel Corporation of India Limited (RCIL) is the executing agency for Puducherry, Gujarat, Daman and Diu, Dadar and Nagar Haveli, Tamil Nadu, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland.
“The project bridges the digital gap between rural and urban India.
“It reduces the time and cost involved in availing governance services like getting a birth certificate and certificate of land records. The high bandwidth of 100 Mbps means that video will be streamed without interruption,” said a BBNL official.
Many services like payment for tenders and payment for renewal of driving licences are expected to be facilitated through BharatNet in the future.
In e-health initiatives, patients can consult doctors through video conferencing, and with biometric applications, pulse and ECG readings can be done online, said the BBNL official.
BharatNet is also expected to make quality education accessible to rural areas, with interactive video sessions between teachers and students in different locations.
In Puducherry, under BharatNet, five schools including government schools in Korkadu and Manapet have been connected through broadband.
Further connectivity from gram panchayats to educational institutions, health centres and other government centres is being planned by the Puducherry government.
Taking BharatNet to its next stage will involve providing wireless connectivity from gram panchayats, and ensuring that all households are also covered in the digital revolution.
Many services like renewal of driving licences are expected to be facilitated through BharatNet in the future
17 Common Services Centres in Puducherry and 15 in Karaikal will be opened soon at panchayat offices
