The Rajasthan government has signed a memorandum of understanding with Aksh Broadband to increase the scope of Gramdoot services.
The pact envisages a Rs 135 crore investment by Aksh Broadband for the development of basic infrastructure.
The Gramdoot project provides rural convergence and e-governance facilities to over 176 panchayats in Jaipur district. It will be expanded to 14 more districts by 2005.
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Aksh Broadband operates India's largest non-telecom fibre optic network, covering 2,900 km in Jaipur district.
"Gramdoot is the means through which e-governance will become a reality via optic fibre cable. Citizens will enjoy a convenient service, with the integration of the government into the community itself and the ability to focus the resources where they are needed most," said Rajneesh Bhandari, president of Aksh Broadband.
Bhandari claimed the Gramdoot project was designed to bridge the digital divide between rural India and the rest of the world by providing e-governance and rural convergence through broadband services on optical fibre cable.
A kiosk equipped with the requisite hardware, software and optic fibre connectivity is manned by a trained local villager (a gramdoot). The gramdoots undergo a month's training and operate on revenue generated through the service.
The project was launched in January 2002 by Chief Minister Ashok Geh-lot at Rampura Dabri village in Jaipur district.
Gehlot had said it would provide a number of facilities, like cable television, online computer education, entertainment and medical information.
To encourage entertainment facilities, the government has exempted cable TV connections from entertainment tax.
Other services being offered by the project include a single-window for online complaints, mandi rates of various crops, and railway and bus timetables.