It will take about 3 years time to start Wi-Fi Internet services at panchayat level from the date government approves the project, according to a source.
"Government User's network (GUN) is proposed to be created using national optical fibre network to be laid across all 2.5 lakh village panchayat. It will provide Wi-Fi service at panchayat level and should take 3 years from the date Cabinet approves the project," the source said.
Government is rolling out the NOFN project for which Rs 20,000 crore were approved by the Cabinet in 2011.
Under the project, the government is connecting village panchayat by utilising available optical fibre cable (OFC) up to block level and with additional OFC to connect block level with village panchayats.
"It is estimated that 2.4 kilometres OFC is required for each panchayat," the source said.
The NOFN is expected to ensure minimum download speed of 100 megabit per second at panchayat level and GUN will provide up to 10 mbps download speed.
"GUN requires additional capital expenditure of Rs 4,942 crore and operational expense (opex) of Rs 2,472 crore per annum. Ministry of Rural Development has to initially provide opex for 10 years for which Cabinet approval is required," the source said.
Government has set a target to complete roll out of NOFN at 50,000 village panchayats by end of this fiscal, 1 lakh by March 2016 and rest of 1 lakh by March 2017.
