The Department of Telecom (DoT) will provide broadband connectivity to 5000 blocks in the country by wireless broadband. According to DoT, the connectivity will be provided soon after the allocation of spectrum which is expected to be completed within this year.
The project, which will be funded by DoT’s Universal Service Obligation (USO) Fund, will cover villages within a radius of 10 kms of the taluka or block headquarters. Each block will benefit about 40 institutional users including schools, public health centers, village panchayats and the community service centres (CSCs) meant to provide e-governance and data services to the rural areas
At present one thousand out of around 6000 blocks in the country are being provided broadband services by the state owned BSNL. Similarly, about 50000 out of a proposed 1 lakh CSCs are being covered by BSNL Broadband. This initiative is likely to cover the remaining blocks and all the CSCs.