The State Government has sought forest land clearance for creating optical fibre backbone network in Sukma, Dantewada, East Bhanupratappur (Kanker), Kondagaon , Nayayanpur and Bastar districts for the BastarNet project, officials informed.
Notably, Chhattisgarh Infotech Promotion Society (CHiPS) is involved in implementation of some mega IT Projects like CHOiCE, e-District, e-Procurement, SWAN, CCTNS, BastarNet, GIS, etc in the State.
The ‘BastarNet Project’ work comprises laying OFC in two ‘rings’-- the first being--Jagdalpur-Geedam-Kondagaon-Narayanpur-Bhanupratappur and Kanker.
The project would involve laying OFC in Link 1 : Jagdalpur-Geedam - Approx. 71 Km, Link 2: Jagdalpur-Kondagaon - Approx. 74 Km, Link 3: Kondagaon-Narayanpur- Approx. 48 Km, Link 4: Narayanpur- Bhanupratapur - Approx. 76 Km, Link 5: Bhanupratapur- Kanker- Approx. 51 Km. Link 6: Kanker- Kondagaon- Approx. 85 Km comprising a total of 405 Kms.
The work for underground OFC laying under Ring 2 would involve- Jagdalpur-Sukma-Dornapal-Konta-Dantewara-Geedam-Bijapur-Bhopalpattnam in which OFC would be laid in Link 6: Jagdalpur-Sukma- Approx. 106 Km, Link 7: Sukma-Dornapal- Approx. 36 Km, Link 8: Dornapal- Konta- Approx. 44 Km, Link 9: Sukma-Dantewara- Approx. 84 Km, Link 10: Dantewara -Geedam- Approx. 18 Km, Link 11: Geedam -Bijapur- Approx. 88 Km , Link 12: Bijapur -Bhopalpattanam- Approx. 55 Km totalling 431 kms.
It may be recalled that Chief Minister Raman Singh in August last year had stated that Bastar will be included in Chhattisagrh Government’s ‘Digital Highway’ which will be a catalyst in bringing about a new revolution of development of a knowledge-based society, opportunity and economy.
It will also enhance the transparency, accuracy and accountability of government services, said while disclosing details on implementation of the ‘BastarNet’ project in his Independence Day speech delivered at the Police Parade ground here on August 15 last year.
He said that owing to its geographical conditions, it is necessary to ensure mobile and internet connectivity in Bastar.
Under this project, 832 kms long optical fibre cable will be laid at the cost of Rs 40 crore. This network will be built with ‘ring network’ so that it may provide uninterrupted mobile and internet connectivity through alternative routes, the Chief Minister said.
Public sector telecom giant Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) has taken up work for laying optical fibre cable (OFC) in regions of extreme insurgency-infested Sukma district of Bastar in Chhattisgarh.
The OFC will be connected to a total of 14 Village Panchayat buildings under National Optical Fiber Network (NOFN) project, officials informed.
Notably, BSNL has already commenced the process of laying optical fibre cables under NOFN project in parts of insurgency infested pockets of Bastar in Chhattisgarh.
With a view to providing a major boost to expansion of telecommunications services in Chhattisgarh, the BSNL is going to install 2000 new mobile towers in the State during the next two years, Union Minister for Telecommunications and Information Technology, Ravi Shankar Prasad had announced during his visit to Raipur in June last year.
Notably, via video conferencing, Prasad earlier had dedicated the 146 new mobile towers erected in insurgency-infested Bastar region and infrastructure for providing internet services developed in Panchayats at Balrampur-Ramanujgunj district through NOFN.
On the other hand, the work for first phase of BHARAT NET Project will be completed in Chhattisgarh during November this year.
This was informed by Union Minister of State for Telecom (Independent Charge) Manoj Sinha to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh in New Delhi recently.
The Union Minister informed that 70 per cent of the first phase of work for the project had so far been completed.
Chief Minister Raman Singh informed the Union Minister that the completion of first phase of BHARAT NET project will provide better connectivity to more than 4000 panchayats in the State.
A total of 1293 villages in Chhattisgarh have the duct created for putting optical fibre cable as on July 16, 2017 under BHARAT NET project so far, the Central Government has informed.
Notably, the BHARAT NET project, which is one of the pillars of Digital India Programme, is planned to establish a network infrastructure by connecting all Gram Panchayats (approx. 2.5 lakh) in the country through Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) and by using an optimal mix of underground fibre, aerial fibre, radio and satellite media, for providing broadband connectivity by all categories of service providers on non-discriminatory basis.
The project is planned to be implemented in three phases. Under Phase I of the project, 1 lakh Gram Panchayats (GPs) are to be connected by laying underground OFC by November 2017 in the country. Under Phase II, connectivity will be provided to remaining 1.5 lakh GPs in the country using an optimal mix of underground fibre, fibre over power lines, radio and satellite media, by March, 2019.
Under Phase III, a state- of- the-art future-proof network, including fibre between districts and blocks, with 5G services and Internet of Things and with underground OFC in ring architecture, is planned to be completed by 2023.
Out of total 9,770 Gram Panchayats (GPs) in Chhattisgarh, 4104 GPs have been taken up under BHARAT NET Phase-I for providing broadband connectivity, the Central Government has informed.
As on July 9, 2017, a total of 7,873 kms (3,159 GPs) Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) has been laid. A total of 1,289 GPs have been provided with broadband connectivity in Chhattisgarh so far.
The Union Ministry of Telecommunications has also approved a plan to connect village panchayats of Chhattisgarh with internet connectivity.
It may be recalled that Chief Minister Raman Singh in August last year had stated that Bastar will be included in Chhattisgarh Government’s ‘Digital Highway’ which will be a catalyst in bringing about a new revolution of development of a knowledge-based society, opportunity and economy.
It will also enhance the transparency, accuracy and accountability of government services, said while disclosing details on implementation of the ‘BastarNet’ project in his Independence Day speech delivered at the Police Parade ground here on August 15 last year.
He said that owing to its geographical conditions, it is necessary to ensure mobile and internet connectivity in Bastar.
Notably, Chhattisgarh’s village panchayats will soon also be provided high speed internet connectivity across the State.
The OFC is now being expanded to provide high speed of 20 mbps connectivity at gram-panchayat levels, officials stated.
Interestingly, It may be mentioned here that Chhattisgarh bagged e-Panchayat National Award for linking almost all the panchayats with Information Technology network in the month of April last year.
In Chhattisgarh, the affairs of gram panchayats has been made online through internet and to maintain transparency in work even the vouchers related to expenditure are been uploaded on the website, the officials stated.
The income-expenditure of the gram panchayats is being uploaded on website with help of ‘Priya’ a software in order to proper information about financial management of the panchayats to the people.
The officers of Panchayat and Rural Development Department said that Chhattisgarh is the first State to set up VSAT and install computers at Janpad Panchayat (Development Block) level to attach the services through internet. All the 27 districts of the State are using 11 softwares including Priya under the e-Panchayat scheme. This includes administrative directory.