SRINAGAR, July 21:A crucial meeting regarding implementation of the Amended BharatNet Program (ABP) in J&K was today co-chaired by Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo and Secretary, Telecom, GoI, Neeraj Mittal, which underscored the commitment towards bridging the digital divide in rural India, where broadband penetration currently stands at a mere 2%, compared to 33% in urban areas.
The meeting was also attended by the Principal Secretary, PDD; Commissioner Secretary, Forests; Secretary, IT; Secretary, Cooperatives; CGM, BSNL; Deputy Commissioners and SIO, NIC besides other concerned officers.
Terming the programme as significant for strengthening the digital governance at the grassroots, the Chief Secretary said ABP will play a transformative role in extending high-speed internet connectivity to blocks, tehsils and remote panchayats across the Union Territory.
He assured full support from the UT administration to ensure time-bound implementation of the project.
Dulloo emphasized that the project would significantly enhance the connectivity for government institutions including schools, hospitals and agriculture offices, enabling better delivery of public services and access to real-time information.
This programme holds the potential to revolutionize the agriculture by delivering weather forecasts, crop advisories and other farmer-centric services directly to rural areas, he added.
Secretary Telecom, Dr Neeraj Mittal, underlined the importance of optimal utilization, regular maintenance and enhancement of the BharatNet infrastructure to maximize its impact. He suggested that the UT may consider learning from best practices of states where ABP implementation has been highly successful. He also outlined the inter-departmental coordination required to facilitate the rollout, directing departments like IT, PDD and RDD to ensure necessary support-ranging from logistical arrangements and power supply to space for equipment.
|