A project that envisages to provide free high-speed Internet connectivity to 20 lakh indigent households and 30,000 government offices and educational institutions at an affordable rate is likely to be stymied, thanks to a recent order of the Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission (KSERC) on a joint venture company floated for building the Kerala Fibre Optic Network (KFON) network .
The order of April 27 raises objections to a tripartite agreement signed by the Kerala State Electricity Board, Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Limited and the State government and records inhibitions about the board sharing its transmission and distribution infrastructure for building the network.
Seeks fresh petition
After examining the documents furnished by the board, the commission ordered to file a fresh petition citing the provisions of the Electricity Act, 2003 and Licensing Regulations, 2006. It also directed the KSITIL and the IT Department to implead in the petition.
The objections have been flagged at a time when educational institutions and the State administration are shifting to the virtual space in consonance with the COVID-19 containment strategy.
Private players
Power sector sources told The Hindu that private telecom majors have been seriously attempting to establish their monopoly in the State and throwing a spanner in the works of KFON would work to their advantage.
The board and KISTIL have 49% stakes each and the State government 2% in the venture. The board’s prime contribution is the permission granted for using its right of way as well as transmission and distribution infrastructure.
The State government sanction for incorporating the company was accorded on May 10, 2018 and the board intimated the commission the project details on July 10, 2018, well before the pact was signed in August 2019.
The board may soon file a fresh petition recording its objections to the delayed response from the commission. The board will again have to reiterate that it does not intend to either alienate or transfer its assets and such hurdles would only jeopardise the project, sources said.