Andhra plans Net push in rural areas

The Andhra Pradesh government is taking steps to provide Internet connectivity to all villages in the state in the next two years. The state has also set itself a target of a 30 per cent share in total software exports from the country in the same period.

"We are planning to provide 10 gigabyte connectivity from Hyderabad to all district headquarters, one gigabyte connectivity to all mandal headquarters from district headquarters and 100 megabyte connectivity from mandal headquarters to the villages. This will increase Internet usage in the state and the government's aim is to ensure that Internet connectivity is available to a majority of people at the lowest possible cost," J C Mohanty, principal secretary (information technology and communication)in the state government, said at a seminar,

According to a Nasscom report, software exports will touch $50 billion in the next two years.