Kerala govt approves Rs 1,548-crore fiber optic network project

The project, to be completed by December 2020, is expected to help the country's IT industry and open major opportunities in the fields of artificial intelligence, blockchain, and startups

The Kerala Cabinet on Wednesday approved a Rs 1,548-crore fiber-optic network project to provide free high-speed internet connection to around 2 million families in the state. 

The Kerala government has already promised to make internet access a ‘citizen's right’. The fibre-optic network project will be completed by December 2020, according to a state government statement.

The Kerala Fibre Optic Network (KFON) project is a collaborative initiative of the state's power utility Kerala State Electricity Board and Kerala State IT Infrastructure Ltd. 

The fibre-optic network project was expected to help the country’s IT industry and open major opportunities in the fields of artificial intelligence, blockchain, and startups, the Kerala government said in a statement. 

Internet service providers and cable television operators can also join the optic-fibre network project to provide their services. As many as 30,000 government offices and schools would be linked through the high-speed network, said the state government. KFON is also expected to help in better management of the transport sector.