(a) whether the Government proposes to make computers and laptops available as subsidized rates or loan at public Data Services Centers in rural areas;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government proposes to grant subsidy to the companies providing reliable and high speed data services in rural areas;
(d) if so, the details thereof; and
(e) the steps taken/being taken by the Government in this regard?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI SACHIN PILOT)
(a): No, Sir.
(b): Does not arise.
(c): Yes, Sir.
(d) and (e): The following steps have been undertaken by Universal Service
Obligation Fund (USOF) for providing broadband services in rural areas:
(i) The Indian Telegraph Rules have been amended, and stream IV has been added
under the title `Provision of broadband connectivity to villages in a phased manner`
to bring provisioning of broadband connectivity to the rural areas under the purview of
the USOF.
(ii) For providing broadband connections in rural areas, including
Gram Panchayats, USOF has signed an Agreement with BSNL on January 20, 2009 under the Rural
Wireline Broadband Scheme to provide wire-line broadband connectivity to rural & remote
areas by leveraging the existing rural exchanges infrastructure and copper
wire-line network. The speed of each of the broadband connections shall be at least 512
kbps always on.
Under this scheme, BSNL will provide 8,88,832 wire-lineBroadband
connections to individual users and Government Institutions and will set up
28,672 Kiosks over a period of 5- years, i.e., by 2014. The subsidy disbursement
is for
(i) broadband connections, Customer Premises Equipment (CPE),
Computer/Computing devices
(ii) setting up of Kiosks for public access to broadband
services. The estimated subsidy outflow is Rs. 1500 crore in 5 years time that includes subsidy for 9 lakh broadband connections, CPEs, computers/computing devices and
Kiosks. As on 31 January 2010, 106070 broadband connections have been provided
and 4 kiosks have been set up in the rural and remote areas.