Odisha Govt Signs Tripartite Agreement For Broadband Services In Gram Panchayats

Bhubaneswar: In order to provide high speed internet services to the gram panchayats, the Odisha government has signed a tripartite agreement.

The agreement was signed by OPTCL, BSNL and OCAC in the presence of Minister of State for Electronics & IT, Sports & Youth Services and Home Tusharkanti Behera in Bhubaneswar on Friday. As per the agreement, Broadband facility would be provided in BharatNet Phase-II area on revenue sharing basis with BSNL.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister said the BharatNet Phase II Odisha project will ensure high speed and reliable internet facility not only in the block headquarters but also thousands of panchayats in remote parts of the state. The people living in these areas will benefit by easily accessing e-governance initiatives and online government services.

“Odisha has become a digitally empowered society and effectively integrated into the knowledge economy with implementation of various 5T initiatives. Most of the services are now technology driven that has resulted in faster, easier, reliable and cost effective delivery of government services at the doorsteps of the beneficiary,” he said.

In order to ensure universal access to digital services in both urban and rural areas, the government has been implementing Digital India initiatives, he said and congratulated the OPTCL and OCAC for the project.

BharatNet Phase II entails a total investment of Rs 545 crore with laying of 20,000 km of overhead optical fibre cable connecting 2932 gram panchayats (GPs) and 133 block headquarters. This will ensure high speed internet to all GPs which in turn would ensure delivery of key online services linked to administration, education, health, banking and agriculture with greater efficiency and transparency.

Manoj Kumar Mishra, Principal Secretary, E & IT Department; RN Pallai, CGM, BSNL; Manas Ranjan Panda, Special Secretary; Manoj Pattanaik, CEO, OCAC; Madhumita Rath, GM OCAC and Prabodh Kumar Rout, Administrative officer, OCAC were present on the occasion.