The chief secretary of Uttarakhand has given instructions to electrify the remaining 227 gram panchayat buildings out of 697 gram panchayats in the state under the BharatNet project in a time-bound manner so that broadband connectivity can be provided in them as soon as possible.
So far, out of 697 gram panchayats in the state, 339 have been electrified with permanent connections. Further, 173 gram panchayats have paid the required fee to Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited (UPCL) for electrification. Further, 43 gram panchayats have been shifted to urban areas, where the electrification process of 33 has been completed and the remaining 10 sites are being transferred to the Department of School Education and Women and Child Development. Meanwhile, 98 gram panchayats have been listed in the category of no gram panchayat building, which is in a precarious situation.
Alternative sites are being identified to shift the gigabit passive optical network (GPON) equipment. The remaining 44 gram panchayats are in the process of applying and paying for an electricity connection.
The secretary reviewed Bharat Net, Delhi Dehradun expressway, Deoband Roorkee railway line project and Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation 2.0 (AMRUT 2.0), and PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) programs under the PM Pragati Portal in the secretariat.
