Bhubaneswar: Putting a step forward to improve data connectivity in rural areas, state government has decided to provide broadband connectivity to 2925 Gram Panchayats (GPs) through optical fiber under Bharat Net Phase-II programme.
This was known from the State Level Implementation Committee meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi in Secretariat Wednesday.
Padhi directed Odisha Power Transmission Corporation Limited (OPTCL) to complete the survey for Phase-II by the end of this month.
He also asked the BSNL and BBNL authorities to expedite the service connection to the GPs where optical fiber has already been laid in Phase-I of Bharat Net programme.
BSNL was also asked to provide the list of the GPs where optical fiber has been laid, to Panchayati Raj department for speedy follow up.
Development Commissioner Asit Kumar Tripathy, who was also present in the meeting, advised the BSNL and BBNL to do effective arrangements at ground level for ensuring uninterrupted connectivity and proper maintenance of the infrastructure.
Electronics & Information Technology secretary CJ Venugopal said 3810 GPs and 181 blocks have been taken up under Phase-I of the Bharat Net programme. As many 2,094 GPs have been made service-ready and handed over to BSNL for service connection. Out of that 231 connections have been made functional.
Emphasizing on the need of connectivity up to GP level, Padhi directed OPTCL to complete service connection to all the service-ready GPs.
Energy Secretary Hemant Kumar Sharma appraised that 2,925 GPs in 30 districts have been taken up under Phase-II of the programme. The scope of the work includes optical cable connectivity from block to BSNL exchange and then from the exchange to GPs and other service points.
Stating that survey work is on, Sharma said 2,771 GPs and 2,80,000 pole locations have been surveyed and geo-tagged. The Chief Secretary asked the Energy department officials to cover all government institutions at block and GP level in Phase-II of the programme.