BharatNet to connect 3,095 panchayats, TN inks agreement

Tamil Nadu FiberNet Corporation, on Wednesday, entered into a Master Service Agreement (MSA) with Polycab India for implementing a part of phase-II of BharatNet in Tamil Nadu.

According to the agreement, Polycab India will execute Package-A of BharatNet covering 3,095 village panchayats in Chengalpattu, Kanchipuram, Tiruvannamalai, Tiruvallur, Vellore, Krishnagiri, Ranipet, Tirupati and Chennai. Already, the state government had entered into MSA with L&T and ITI in October 2021 for implementing Package-C and D.

With the objective of connecting 12,525 panchayats in the state with high-speed bandwidth using fibre optic cables, the union government is implementing BharatNet in the state and has allotted Rs 1,815.31 crore. The project will provide digital services such as e-education, telemedicine, triple play services such as telephone, TV and internet connection to the public at affordable cost.

Through the project, government offices, public institutions, schools, colleges, and industries will be able to deliver citizen-centric services at village level. “The project will improve socio-economic standard of the state by creating jobs and services in rural areas,” said the state government, in a press communique.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister MK Stalin distributed 1,370 refurbished desktops from Infosys to 70 corporation schools in Chennai. They’ll be given to 38 high schools and 32 higher secondary schools which will benefit 28,000 students.

The desktops will enable students to get access to direct learning instead of the traditional teaching-learning method, said the state government, in a press communique.