BHUBANESWAR: After missing several deadlines to provide broadband connectivity to all the gram panchayats (GPs), the state government has taken up 2,925 more GPs for laying optical fibre under BharatNet phase-II programme.
“Under phase-I of this project, 3,810 GPs and 181 blocks were taken up. So far, 2,094 GPs have been made service ready and handed over to BSNL for connection. Fibre-based internet connectivity has been operationalised in 231 panchayats,” said Principal Secretary Electronics and Information Technology CJ Venugopal.
Taking a review of the progress at a meeting of the State Level Implementation Committee, Chief Secretary AP Padhi directed OPTCL to complete the survey work for phase-II by end of June.
Phase-II will be executed under the State level model on Aerial optical fibre cable (OFC) to be laid along 33 KV, 11 KV and low transmission (LT) electrical lines from block to gram panchayat.
Earlier, it was scheduled to be completed by March 31, 2019.
Padhi asked authorities of BSNL and Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL) to expedite service connection to GPs where optical fibre has already been laid in phase-I of BharatNet programme.
Energy Secretary and CMD, OPTCL Hemant Sharma informed the meeting that survey work is underway and 2,771 GPs and 2.8 lakh pole locations have been surveyed and geo-tagged.
The Chief Secretary asked IT department to cover all Government institutions at block and GP level in phase-II connectivity.
Development Commissioner Asit Tripathy advised BSNL and BBNL to do effective arrangements at ground level for ensuring uninterrupted connectivity and proper maintenance of the infrastructure.