250,000 Panchayats to be connected in the next few years, says Pitroda

Sam Pitroda, chairman, National Knowledge Commission (NKC) has said that in order to empower villagers to get better services, about 250,000 panchayats would be connected through fibre optics and broadband connections within the next few years.

In this context, NKC has joined hands with several operators and government bodies, including Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), the Ministry of Information Technology, etc.

Pitroda added that the NKC hopes to shortly submit a detailed plan to the Cabinet for approval. He also said that this connectivity is aimed at not only improving delivery of government schemes but also empowering people.