Rural internet connectivity: K’taka among best performing states

Bengaluru: Karnataka stands among the best performing states in terms of rural internet connectivity with 98% of its villages, as compared to 94% nationally, already being covered by high-speed internet(3G and above).

According to the ministry of communications and IT data, Punjab, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Tamil Nadu rank higher than Karnataka, while Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Delhi, and Rajasthan are seen trailing. The report states that out of 27,397 villages in Karnataka 608 aren’t connected yet.

It further cited that India is currently working on connecting at least 2.5 lakh gram panchayats with optic fiber under the Bharat-Net programme.

Bharat-Net programme is under implementation and not all gram panchayats have been covered.

Talking about the Bharat-Net programme, Additional chief secretary of electronics, IT, BT, and science and technology, Karnataka, EV Ramana Reddy said that “Bharat-Net programme in Karnataka is being implemented by the e-governance department as most villages today have internet through connections availed from telecom companies.”

Data accessed from the ministry of communications and IT reveal that out of 2.5 lakh GPs targetted under Bharat-Net nationally, only 1.5 lakh GPs have optic fiber.

It is important to note that 6,247 GPs of the 6,268 targetted in Karnataka already have optic fiber.