Question : PROVISION OF INTERNET FACILITIES

(a) the details of internet subscribers in the country separately in rural and urban areas;

(b) whether the internet broadband subscribers are likely to grow to 600 million by 2020 and Government has set a target to provide internet access to all people by 2020 and included broadband on demand in National Telecom Policy;

(c) if not, the details thereof and the achievements made in this regard so far year-wise along with the shortfalls in achieving the targets;

(d) whether Rs. 21000 crore national broadband venture is being delayed and the BSNL, Power Grid Corporation of India and Rail Tel have failed in awarding cable laying and trenching contracts for first phase; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and the action taken by the Government in this regard along with the measures taken to achieve the target and to provide quality internet services to people at reasonable price?

THE MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

(a) Internet services are availed by mobile and fixed line subscribers. Segregated data on rural and urban internet subscribers is not maintained by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). Service area wise number of internet subscribers at Annexure.

(b) One of the objectives of National Telecom Policy -2012 is to achieve 600 million Broad band connections by 2020 and Broad band on demand by the year 2015.

(c) There are 254.4 million internet users in the country of which 74.73 million are broadband subscribers at the end of September 2014.

(d)&(e) Government is implementing National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) project to provide broadband connectivity through Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) to all the Gram Panchayats in the country (approximately 2,50,000 Gram Panchayats) at an estimated cost of Rs. 20,100 Crore by bridging the connectivity gap between Gram Panchayats and Blocks. Under this project, at least 100 Mbps (megabits per second) bandwidth would be made available at each Gram Panchayat (GP) to be used by all the service providers on non-discriminatory basis. Bharat Broadband Nigam Limited (BBNL), a Central Public Sector Undertaking Unit (CPSU) has been created to execute the project. Work is being implemented by BBNL through 3 CPSUs viz. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), Railtel and Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL).

Survey work has been completed by the 3 CPSUs viz. BSNL, Railtel and PGCIL for more than 80% of the Gram Panchayats. OFC Cable laying work has been finalized in 1331 Blocks and work has been started in 617 Blocks. Total 6577 km of Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) has been laid. Purchase orders for procurement of OFC and electronic transmission equipment Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) have been issued and supply commenced. Government is periodically monitoring the progress of the NOFN project and 3 CPSUs ( BSNL, Railtel and PGCIL) are asked to expedite it.