Uttar Pradesh ‘Giving A Cold Shoulder’ To BharatNet Project

BharatNet, the ambitious national broadband venture, is facing major deployment challenges in the country’s Hindi heartland, a top government official said. Uttar Pradesh has been reluctant to use the BharatNet optic fibre broadband network for electronic delivery of public services. “Though most of the BharatNet project work is expected to be concluded by next March, there is virtually no eagerness to use this massive broadband network resource by the state of UP,” said Sanjay Singh, chairman, Bharat Broadband Network Ltd (BBNL), a government-controlled special purpose vehicle (SPV) that is implementing the venture government controlled special purpose vehicle (SPV) that is implementing the venture.

BharatNet, a key element of the Modi government’s Digital India NSE 0.00 % drive, aims to provide high-speed internet connectivity to 6.25 lakh villages encompassing 2.5 lakh village blocks across the country.

By contrast, western states such as Maharashtra and Gujarat, he said, are “a lot more keen to leverage the power of BharatNet”. The project is “likely to significantly reduce corruption in delivery of public services electronically”. – The Economic Times