BharatNet Phase I target achieved connection over 1 lakh GPs

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : The Government has achieved a significant milestone under the BharatNet by completing Phase-1 of the project by connecting over one lakh Gram Panchayats (GPs) across the country with high speed optical fibre network as per the declared deadline of  December 31, 2017.  BharatNet network, built under Phase 1 envisages delivery of high-speed broadband services in over 2.5 lakh villages, benefitting more than 200 million rural Indians.

At a function held here, Union Minister for Communications Manoj Sinha said that the vision and the mission of the country is to connect India to realise the goal of Prime Minister’s Digital India by bridging the digital divide. Describing the BharatNet as the world’s largest rural broadband project created on the mantra of Create, Collaborate and Conquer, Sinha said that the project will generate massive employment opportunities both direct and indirect in the country in days to come. He underlined the need to complete the 2^nd phase of the BharatNet well before the target of March, 2019, to usher in a rural digital revolution, according to a PIB release.

The Minister asked the officials to include and enforce the clause of financial incentive for speedy execution of Phase-2 of the project and said that the infrastructure created under BharatNet will be a national asset, accessible on a non-discriminatory basis to the service providers. 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.

Under Phase 1 of the project, till May 31, 2014, the work had been started in 4,918 Gram Panchayats (GPs) and 358 km Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) was pulled and only 59 GPs were made service ready.  Till June 30,2016, work had been started in 84,834 GPs and 1,24,817 km OFC pulled covering 53,557 GPs with 7,229 GPs made Service Ready. As on December 31, 2017, 2,54,895 km OFC has been laid covering 1,09,926 GPs of which 1,01,370 GPs have been made Service Ready, according to the PIB release.

Speaking on the occasion, Secretary, Department of Telecom, Ms Aruna Sundararajan said that to complete the Phase-1 of BharatNet, the entire eco-system of the department responded to the call of  Minister Manoj Sinha. She said that it has given boost to Make-in-India as the key highlight of the project is that the telecom equipment deployed in it has been fully designed, developed and manufactured in India. She said that the project also achieved a global record of laying of 800 km of optical fibre per day.

Sinha gave away the awards for the Best Performing States, States which covered all the GPs, Best Utilisation of BharatNet, Best performing implementation partners, Best performing equipment supply partners, Best performing OFC supply partners, Best technology partners, and significant individual contributors. Under the award categories, UP(East), Maharashtra, MP, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Jharkhand were adjudged as the Best performing States which implemented BharatNet Phase 1. Kerala, Karnataka and Haryana were the States which covered all the GPs under the Project.