Dr Neeraj Mittal, secretary (T), Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has digitally launched Centre for Broadband Proliferation in Rural Area (CBBPiR), marking a significant stride towards bridging the digital divide. Dr Mittal also released a research paper on rural broadband by CBBPiR.
In his address, Dr Mittal underscored the pivotal role of accelerating village economy to realise the national vision of achieving a developed economy status by 2047. Stressing on the imperative of high-speed solutions complemented by cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and edge processing, Dr Mittal highlighted DoT’s unwavering commitment to democratise opportunities and extend digital access to all citizens. Moreover, Dr Mittal reiterated the recent tripartite memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by DoT with Prasar Bharti and Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), underscoring the collaborative efforts towards enhancing digital inclusivity and connectivity in rural areas.
In addition, Shailesh Kumar Singh, secretary, Department of Rural Development, highlighted his department’s readiness to collaborate and participate in this transformative initiative. He further outlined the flagship programmes undertaken by his department and highlighted the potential synergies with CBBPiR. Further, Deb Kumar Chakrabarti, director general, National Telecom Institute for Policy Research, Innovation and Training (NTIPRIT), discussed the jurisdiction and scope of the new centre of excellence (CoE), providing clarity on its role and functioning.
Furthermore, NTIPRIT under DoT also conducted a workshop on ‘Creating Ecosystem for Faster Proliferation of Broadband Services in Rural India.’ Various topics like technological alternatives to cover rural areas, affordability, financial viability, quality of service (QoS), success stories and case studies were discussed during the workshop. The event saw participation from the industry, industry associations, service providers, startups, and academia.
