THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI MILIND DEORA)
(a) & (b) Government has approved the scheme for creation of National Optical Fibre Network
(NOFN) on 25th October 2011, for providing Broadband connectivity to 2.5 lakh village Panchayats.
The objective of this scheme is to extend the existing optical fiber network to Panchayats by
utilizing the Universal Services Obligation Fund (USOF).The project is proposed to be completed
in 2 years. A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) namely Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL) has
been incorporated on 25th February 2012 to execute the project. Project rollout is yet to start.
Presently, pilots are being conducted in Paravada block of Vishakhapatnam district in Andhra
Pradesh, Arian block of Ajmer district in Rajasthan and Panisagar block of North Tripura district
in Tripura.
(c) Rs. 15 crore has been spent for National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) under
USOF schemes. The detail is as under:
SI. No. State Amount allocated and spent. (Rs. in Crore) as on 31-07-2012
1 Rajasthan 3.77
2 NE 3.77
3 Andhra Pradesh 7.46 Total 15.00
(d)The details of internet/ broadband connections provided by MTNL and BSNL in its service
area as on 30.06.2012 are annexed at Annexure I and Annexure II.
(e) National Telecom Policy 2012 approved by Government on 31st may 2012 inter alia has
following provisions regarding broadband.
# Provide affordable and reliable broadband-on-demand by the year 2015 and to
achieve 175 million broadband connections by the year 2017 and 6Q0 million by the
year 2020 at minimum 2 Mbps download speed and making available higher speeds
of at least 100 Mbps on demand.
# Provide high speed and high quality broadband access to all village panchayats
through a combination of technologies by the year 2014 and progressively to ail
villages and habitations by 2020.
# To develop an eco-system for broadband in close coordination with all stakeholders,
including Ministries/ Government Departments/ Agencies to ensure availability of
media for last mile access, aggregation layer, core network of adequate capacity,
affordable equipment including user devices, terminals and Customer Premise
quipment and an environment for development of relevant applications. Formulate
policies to promote competition by encouraging service providers, whether large or
small, to provide value added services under equitable and non-discriminatory
conditions.
# To lay special emphasis on providing reliable and affordable broadband access to rural
and remote areas by appropriate combination of optical fibre, wireless, VSAT and other
technologies. Optical fibre network will be initially laid up to the village panchayat level by
funding from the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF). Extension of optical fibre
connectivity from village panchayats to be taken up progressively to all villages and
habitations. Access to this Optical Fibre Network will be open, non-discriminatory and
technology neutral.
# To recognise telecom, including broadband connectivity as a basic necessity like
education and health and work towards `Right to Broadband`.
# To incorporate enabling provisions in the current regulatory framework so that existing
infrastructure including cable TV networks are optimally utilised for extending high quality
broadband services in rural areas also.
# To provide continued support from USO fund for telecom services, including converged
communication sendees in commercially unviable rural and remote areas.
