The Government is expected to connect five lakh villages with the internet broadband services under the National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) in next two years.
“We have setup a high powered committee, Sam Pitroda is heading the committee, co-chaired by Nandan Nilekani. I am told by Sam Pitroda that he will try and implement the policy within next two years (by 2013),” Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal said today.
Government earlier had proposed creating a NOFN for providing broadband connectivity to the rural areas initially upto the panchayats.
Last year, telecom regulator Trai had floated a consultation paper suggesting that optical fibre should be laid to connect 3.75 lakh villages having a population of 500 or more.
The project could be funded by the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme for non-skilled work and from the Universal Services Obligation Fund for material and equipment.
