Baripada: The Centre has given thrust on promotion of digital services to ensure speedy and transparent delivery of various schemes, but lack of broadband connectivity has scuttled the objectives of a number of projects in many remote areas of tribal-dominated Mayurbhanj district. According to reports, people residing at the base of Similipal hill have been suffering a lot for a number of years now. This is due to the lack of proper communication and digital connectivity. It has resulted in them missing out on a number of government schemes conducted on digital mode. Without internet connectivity, availing all these schemes are a difficult proposition, locals said.
Over 5,000 people live in Gendapokhari village, 40 kilometres from Baripada, the headquarters of Mayurbhanj district. They have been demanding for a long time the installation of a mobile tower in the area, but all in vain. They pointed out that services at the revenue inspector’s office, post office, schools, panchayat offices and Common Services centres have been affected due to the absence of a mobile tower. While submitting a memorandum to the district collector here Tuesday, a team from Gendapokhari village said that they should also be brought under the BharatNet project. This project has been launched to provide broadband connectivity to all the gram panchayats (GPs) in India. “So Gendapokhari village should also be brought under the scheme,” members of the team said.
Some members of the team pointed out that ‘geo tagging’ work in various schemes has been affected while students are failing to attend online classes due to the lack of internet facilities. Mobile base stations can provide connectivity to such areas to hasten development, said local leaders including Bebarta Marndi, Raysen Marndi and Meghray Marndi.