Center Targets To Connect Every Panchayat Through Broadband By 2016: R S Sharma

07 July, New Delhi

Bandwidth speed is very low and IT network is not strong enough in the country. There is a need to increase bandwidth speed and strengthen IT network.

Participating in AIR’s most popular interactive programme Public Speak, Secretary Electronics and IT, R S Sharma said, a lot needs to be done for making several facilities available to the people through Internet. He said, government has targeted to connect every Panchayat through broadband by December 2016.

Sharma said, Digital India is a comprehensive programme which comprise of three main pillars of connectivity, user friendly software and digital empowerment of people. He said, digital India programme will help people get several services sitting at home without running from one office to other.

Sharma said, electronics manufacturing is also important component of digital India and it will generate employment opportunities for 2.8 crore people. On the availability of vernacular contents on the Internet, he said, Government is making efforts to make contents available in Indian languages through translation.

The Electronics and IT Secretary informed the listeners that there are 100 crore mobile connections in the country and call rates are the lowest in the world. He admitted that signal strength is not upto mark at some places but attributed it to shortage of mobile towers.

He said in urban areas there is very much hue and cry about radiation from towers despite the fact that radiation in India is only one tenth of the global standards.

The Secretary said, Digital India programme has to go a long way, government is making efforts and the Prime Minister has brought it at the centre stage of government agenda.