Slow pace of providing internet connectivity to Gram Panchayats, only 28% villages have active FTTH connection

Government is publicizing Digital India, services in almost all institutions have gone online, and villages are lagging behind in this technological development or it can be said that the efforts of the government to provide internet connectivity to Gram panchayat are 'snail-paced'. It is pertinent to mention here that the plan to provide internet connectivity through fiber optic cable at Gram Panchayat level, commonly known as Fiber to the Home-FTTH, was initiated by the UPA government in 2011, which the NDA government under a different name took forward. But today, the situation is that only 28% of the Gram Panchayats across the country have active FTTH Internet connectivity. From Panchayats upwards to every government office, all services related and concerning common people policy issues have been made online.

The government wants that the transparent process should reach the Gram Panchayats through an online system. All the activities are to be put on a portal by Gram Pradhans and Secretaries. Gram Vikas Vikas Yojana is also to be on-line. But how these online systems are working can be known by looking at the 'Panchayat Profile' released by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj in August this year. The report has given in detail, descriptions of various schemes, facilities, activities, etc. of Gram Panchayats. It is mentioned in this that the total number of Gram Panchayats across the country is 255197. Out of this, 87 percent of the bodies have their own buildings.

81 percent of the Gram Panchayats are such that they have been equipped with computers, but if we look at the data of BharatNet FTTH active connections, it is known that this facility is available only in 28 percent of the Gram Panchayats. Sources in the Panchayati Raj Ministry said the UPA government had in 2011 launched an ambitious scheme called National Optical Fiber Network with the aim of connecting Gram Panchayats with the Internet. Going by the ambitious target, the fiber connectivity was supposed to reach all panchayats by 2013. However, the revised target fixed that the work will be completed by 2016.

Meanwhile, there was a change in power in 2014, but the scheme continued. The NDA government took the work forward in the name of BharatNet program and claimed to provide internet connectivity to all Gram Panchayats by 2017. Then the target was increased to 2021, but the figure could reach only 28 percent. Officials of the Panchayati Raj Ministry avoid saying anything in this regard. They say that the responsibility of providing internet facility to Gram Panchayats lies with the Ministry of Communications.

If you look at the website of Bharat Broadband Network Limited, which is operating this scheme, a pleasant picture appears. Actually, there is no mention of active connections, but the data of service ready Gram Panchayats is given. It has been claimed that 217698 i.e. about 85 percent of the Gram Panchayats are ready for services.