10.8. National Optical Fiber Network (NOFN)

Government approved a project, at a cost of `20,000 crore, for creating a ‘National Optical Fiber Network’ (NOFN) to connect all the 2,50,000 Gram panchayats in the country through optical fiber using which the telecom service providers like mobile operators, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), cable TV operators, content providers can launch various services in rural areas. Various applications for e-health, e-education, e-governance etc. are to be provided using this network. The project is being funded by USOF. The project is being carried out by a special purpose vehicle (SPV) called Bharat Broadband Network Ltd (BBNL) set up by the government and three companies including Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL), Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCI) and RailTel Corporation of India (RailTel) works as a team in this SPV.

The Ministry of Finance has increased the Budget of BharatNet project to Rs. 10,000 crore for 2017-18, up from Rs 6,000 crore and aimed to provide high-speed broadband connectivity on optical fibre to 1.50 lakh gram panchayats by March 2018.