Local bodies to foot internet bills of TN government schools

Net speed in 24,438 primary schools to be cut from 100 Mbps to 50 Mbps

As town panchayats are citing lack of funds, the order said Rs 5.49 crore would be released by the state government for schools located in their limits (photo | express)

CHENNAI: With the Centre withholding its share of Samagra Shiksha funds to Tamil Nadu, the state government has shifted the burden of paying internet bills of government schools from the school education department to the respective local bodies.

As per a government order issued in this regard earlier this week, the school education department said it needed a total of Rs 189.1 crore for managing internet bills in government schools and one-time installation charges, which are also added to these bills.

Consequently, the order has directed the village panchayats, municipalities, and municipal corporations to take care of these charges for the schools in their jurisdictions. As town panchayats are citing lack of funds, the order said Rs 5.49 crore would be released by the state government for schools located in their limits, officials said.

The order also said the internet speed of 100 Mbps, offered in 24,438 government primary schools, would be cut to 50 Mbps. While the order did not mention the reason for the cut in the speed, sources said it was to bring down the costs.

The government middle (6,992), high (3,094) and higher secondary schools (3,129) will continue to receive 100 Mbps connection. A total of 39 ‘schools of excellence’ will get a speed of 1 Gbps. “We have not received funds under the Samagra Shiksha scheme under which internet facilities were created and funded in schools.

When we explored whether local bodies could take over the costs, all agreed except town panchayats, which said that they don’t have enough resources for it. Hence, the state government will fund them separately. These are recurring charges that local bodies will manage henceforth,” said a senior school education department official.

The state had begun expedited installation of smart classrooms in all the schools, as part of which internet facilities were also ensured, for which the BSNL is the major service provider. The order asked the school education officials to negotiate with BSNL to lower the one-time installation charges and advised using Tamil Nadu Fibernet Corporation (TANFINET) services as they expand to more areas.