Panchayat broadband link plan well behind schedule

The government is likely to extend the deadline for completion of its National Optic Fibre Network (NOFN) project, meant to connect 250,000 gram panchyats with optical fibre for offering a 100 mbps broadband service.

“Tenders have been floated and many are finalised. However, we might need to reschedule the deadline,” said M F Farooqui, secretary, department of telecommunications (DoT).

The project, initiated in 2011 after cabinet approval, was to be completed within two years. Later, the government said the laying of optic fibre would be completed by March 2016. The total cost is estimated at Rs 20,000 crore, to be funded from the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF).

Bharat Sanchar Nigam, Poer Grid Corporation and RailTel Corporation were entrusted the job of laying the fibre network, on behalf of Bharat Broadband Network Ltd (BBNL), the special purpose vehicle for implementing the entire project. They’ve been able to float only a few tender notices for villages. Tenders for data centres were also been floated by November 30.

“The project needs more time. The laying work of optic fibre has just started,” said an official with BBNL, seeking anonymity. BBNL has estimated the project might take at least five years from now to complete the laying of optic fibre.

The objective is to offer e-governance services and utility bill payments, etc, for villagers. Experts, however, say NOFN is only about the laying of optic fibres. For end-to-end services,  providers will have to set up their own infrastructure at the panchayat level.