Kapil Sibal launches much-hyped optical fibre scheme
New Delhi, Nov.2 (ANI)
Union Telecom Minister, Kapil Sibal on Friday announced the launch of the National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) in New Delhi that would connect 250,000 villages across the country.
Sibal was addressing an audience at Rashtrapati Bhawan during the presentation of the second annual report of the National Innovation Council (NIC) to President Pranab Mukherjee.
"The second initiative is the National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN). To accelerate the reach of connectivity, to enhance development and innovation at the grassroots, NOFN will provide optic fibre base broadband connectivity to 250,000 village councils in the country. I dare say that perhaps this one of the most innovative projects launched anywhere in the world and perhaps the largest. And the government has set apart 20,000 crores (200 billion rupees) for this project," said Sibal.
The NIC was set up by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2010 to help implement strategies for inclusive innovation in India and preparing a roadmap for Innovation in 2010-2020.
The National Innovation Council is focused on encouraging and facilitating the creation of an Indian Model of Innovation by looking at five key parameters: Platform, Inclusion, Eco-system, Drivers and Discourse.
The core idea is to innovate to produce affordable and qualitative solutions that address the needs of people at the Bottom of the Pyramid, eliminate disparity and focus on an inclusive growth model.
The initiatives of the National Innovation Council are also aimed at fostering an innovation ecosystem across domains and sectors to strengthen entrepreneurship and growth, to facilitate the birth of new ideas and enhance collaboration.