Will the Minister of Electronics & Information Technology be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has provided internet and Wi-Fi facilities to all the villages of the country for the benefit of farmers so that their knowledge about agricultural sector could be increased and to provide latest information about the development in the said sector; and
(b) if so, the details thereof along with the measures/action taken/being taken by the Government in this regard?
(a) and (b): Under BharatNet project, broadband/internet connectivity is provided to Gram Panchayats (GPs). There are approx.2,50,000 GPs in the country. Total 1,34,248 GPs have been made Service Ready as on 24.01.2020.
As part of this project, so far Wi-Fi hotspots have been installed at 45,769 GPs. Internet is currently being accessed mainly through mobile wireless 2G, 3G and 4G technologies which at present cover more than 95% of population of the country. As per data collected from the Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) in 2019, it is estimated that out of total 5,97,618 inhabited villaged (as per the Census 2011) in the country, 5, 69, 897 are covered by the Government and Telecom Service Providers in a phased manner. Further under Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) scheme, 25,000 public Wi-Fi hotspots are being set up using the infrastructure of telephone exchanges of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) in rural areas of the country.
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