India’s first high-speed rural broadband network has been commissioned in Idukki, Kerala by Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister for Communications and IT.
Ravi Shankar Prasad in his speech after the commissioning told that the major aim of the Government is to digitally empower the poor and the underprivileged through the creation of technological infrastructure. The minister added that country is witnessing a new era of digital empowerment.
The minister praised his words on the Modi Government in which he is a part, and stated that the Central Ministry has paid its focus on the all round development and inclusive growth of the country.
The commissioning of high-speed rural broadband network in Idukki is a part of NOFN, National Optical Fibre Network Project. The project aims to link all the grama panchayats in India through the common platform of Optical fibre. The minister told that he is proud to be a part of the new digital journey in India’s history.
If everything goes well, the National Optical Fibre Network Project will link 600 million rural citizens of India across 2.5 lakh gram panchayats. The network will be spread across 6600 Blocks and 631 Districts.
In this first phase, NOFN will cover 50,000 Grama Panchayats. The remaining two lakh will be covered within the end of 2016. The project is being implemented as a joint effort by BSNL, PGCIL and Railtel.
Oommen Chandy, the honorable Chief Minister of Kerala during the event told that the people in Kerala are looking forward to the new economic development opportunities which will be created by NOFN in the state.