CURRENT AFFAIRS

Detailed explanation-1: -On 25 October 2011, the Government of India approved the National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) initiative, later renamed as BharatNet, to connect all 250,000 gram panchayats in the country covering nearly 625,000 villages, by utilizing the existing optical fibre network and extending it to the gram panchayats.

Detailed explanation-2: -BharatNet project is being implemented in all the Gram Panchayats (GPs) and villages of the country to provide high speed internet and broadband, Minister of State for Communications Devusinh Chauhan said in a written reply in Lok Sabha.

Detailed explanation-3: -BharatNet, one of the biggest rural telecom projects in the world, implemented in a phased manner to all Gram Panchayats (approximately 2.5 lakh) in the country for providing non-discriminatory access to broadband connectivity to all the telecom service providers.

Detailed explanation-4: -Bharatnet provides broadband connectivity to gram panchayats. Also known as Bharat Broadband Network Limited, it aims to provide connectivity to 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats (GP) through optical fibre.