The mission will facilitate universal and equitable access to broadband services across the country, especially in rural and remote areas.
December 17, 2019
The GoI has announced broadband access in all villages by 2022, as it launched the ambitious National Broadband Mission entailing stakeholder investment of INR 7 lakh crore in the coming years. It also involves laying of incremental 30 lakh route km of Optical Fiber Cable and increase in tower density from 0.42 to 1 tower per thousand of population by 2024.
The mission unveiled by Communications Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will also aim at significantly improving quality of services for mobile and internet.
The mission also envisages increasing fiberisation of towers to 70 per cent from 30 per cent at present, he added. The National Broadband Mission will enable strengthening of technological infrastructure for education, health, entrepreneurship and development, he said.
The mission will envisage stakeholder investment of USD 100 billion (Rs 7 lakh crore) including Rs 70,000 crore from Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) in coming years. Overall, the broadband mission aims to fast-track growth of digital communications infrastructure, bridge the digital divide, facilitate digital empowerment and inclusion, and provide affordable and universal access of broadband for all.
The centre will work with states and UTs for having consistent policies pertaining to expansion of digital infrastructure including for Right of Way (RoW) approvals required for laying of optical fibre cable.
