Vijayawada: Internet facility to all village panchayats, Rythu Bharosa Kendras

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh State Fibernet Limited (APSFL) chairman Dr P Gowtham Reddysaid that internet facility will be provided to all village panchayats and Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs) in the State.

He said the APSFL will use the latest technology of wireless internet service by installing towers for every five kilometers as part of the State-wide programme for installation of Fibernet facility.

Addressing the media at APSFL office here on Wednesday, Gowtham Reddy said the trial run for wireless internet through box system was already commenced in Chittoor district on pilot project basis. He said five companies came forward to take up the project in the State. He said internet facility to all households will be taken up in Vijayawada soon as the pilot project in the State and the IT Minister will inaugurate it soon. He said efforts were on to provide high speed internet facility to the customers at low cost.

Giving details of internet connections, Gowtham Reddy said so far net connection was provided to 4,415 villages, ward secretariats and to nearly 10,000 Rythu Bharosa Kendras in the State. He said Fibrenet facility is provided to Jagananna colonies even before the construction of houses. He said internet facility is provided to even tribal areas like Rampachodavaram. "Fibernet has already covered 60 per cent area in the State."

He said that the Central government is providing large-scale connectivity through the Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL). Gowtham Reddy informed that BBNL has decided to lay 55,000 km optical fibre in the state under Bharat phase-2 programme. He said electronic system has been installed in 11,254 gram panchayats and cable lines were laid in about 14,671 km and direct connectivity was given to 2,824 gram panchayats. He said despite of Covid pandemic, the fibre network activities continued during the last one year since he took the post of chairman of the APSFL.