12,525 panchayats to get 1Gbps bandwidth connectivity as TANFINET signs pact for BharatNet project

TANFINET signed the Master Service Agreement with M/s L&T, M/s ITI Ltd and third party agency M/s BECIL for packages C and D of the four-package project in the presence of state information technology minister Mano Thangaraj. The project implemented at a cost of Rs 1,815.32 crore aims to provide a minimum of 1 Gbps bandwidth connectivity to all village panchayats. The SPV has classified the project district-wise into four packages and identified four system integrators for each package and a third party agency to inspect and audit the implementation.

The deals signed for packages C and D would cover 3,326 panchayats in Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Pudukottai, Namakkal, Karur, Coimbatore, Tiruppur and Tiruchirappalli districts and 3,103 panchayats in Kanniyakumari, Madurai, Ramanathapuram, Theni, Tuticorin, Tirunelveli, Virudhunagar, Tenkasi, Dindigul and Sivagangai districts. An official communique from the state government said the packages A and B would be implemented in all 12, 525 panchayats after the disposal of the pending litigation. The union government had cancelled a Rs 1,950 crore tender floated by the previous AIADMK regime for BharatNet project following alleged irregularities. The DMK had filed a petition in the Madras High Court against former chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and then revenue minister R B Udayakumar, alleging irregularities in the implementation of packages A and B of the BharatNet project.

The BharatNet project intends to provide affordable and quality digital services, e-education, telemedicine and triple-play services to all village panchayats besides providing high-speed internet services to government offices, schools, colleges and business enterprises. Talking to media persons here, minister Thangaraj said the project, once implemented, will resolve the connectivity problems faced by rural students and simplify e-governance.