Yes, this seems to be a very surprising move from the Government of India. With so many obstacles to be overcome, such a policy may not impress people. The Indian Government has planned to float a policy which would state broadband connectivity as a basic fundamental right along with education and health.
The 14% hike in the railway fares has recently led to opposition to the “Modi Sarkar”, such a policy may not prove to be much fruitful. The policy has several affordable options in which broadband could be made available in remote and rural areas, including optic fiber, wireless networks and VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) technologies.
The policy was prompted following concerns form the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) that the delayed launched of NOFN (National Optic Fiber Network) could thwart the government’s pan-India broadband penetrations targets as laid out in the National Telecom Policy 2012 – of 175 million and 600 million users 2017 and 2020 respectively.
The government wishes to establish a suitable institutional framework that lets the many departments and agencies smoothly coordinate with each other for the timely deployment and maintenance of telecom cables for speedy spread of broadband connectivity across India.
– By Anand Thakkar
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