Telangana CM Reddy holds video conference with Union Minister Scindia; seeks central aid for T-Fibre project expansion
Hyderabad, May 28
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and State IT Minister D. Sridhar Babu met with Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia in a video conference to discuss the challenges facing in developing the fibre network and the immediate requirement of central assistance for it.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister briefed Telangana's vision of providing robust, high-speed internet connectivity to every village and every household and the assurances given by the Union government to achieve the objective of a robust network shaping the future for Telangana.
The Chief Minister announced that a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) would be established to build a powerful fibre network across Telangana. The T-Fibre network is set to connect every Gram Panchayat through ring architecture soon. In the first phase, digital connectivity restoration will be undertaken for 3,089 villages across the erstwhile districts of Nizamabad, Ranga Reddy, and Khammam--regions currently suffering from damaged network infrastructure, an official release stated.
Under the Amended BharatNet Program, these villages will be connected on par with the rest of the State, utilising modern fibre infrastructure designed to meet future requirements.
With a view to ensuring the smooth implementation of the Amended BharatNet Program, the Chief Minister also brought several key issues to the union minister's attention. The discussions between the CM and the Union Minister focused on expediting the finalisation of the implementation agreement, accelerating the release of pending funds and the implementation of the T-Fibre project under the Amended BharatNet Program (ABP) in the state. Introducing a clear policy framework regarding the transfer of ring network assets from the Mandal level to the Gram Panchayat level and the 'Digital Bharat Nidhi' fund were also reviewed in the meeting. Scindia assured that the Union government would extend full cooperation.
In the meeting, the state government approved the establishment of an SPV to create a robust network and also signed an agreement with the Centre to lay a foundation for a truly 'Digital Telangana'. Officials said that the State was moving decisively towards establishing a unified digital backbone. Even if a disruption occurs along one route, services will continue uninterrupted via an alternative path. Consequently, rural Telangana will gain access to truly continuous, high-speed broadband connectivity in the future, according to the release.
Chief Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao, Special Secretary to the CM B. Ajit Reddy, Joint Secretary of the IT Department D. Anudeep, and other senior officials participated in this video conference.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The ring architecture sounds impressive actually... 🤔 Redundancy in network connectivity is something even cities like Hyderabad struggle with. If rural areas get uninterrupted broadband before urban centers, that's going to be ironic but wonderful! Though I'm skeptical about how quickly the Central funds will be released. Scindia ji seems positive but let's see the execution.
Sir, please also focus on the maintenance after installation! Many BharatNet projects in other states have fibre cables lying cut for months because there's no repair mechanism. We need not just laying cables but a proper O&M plan. Also, 3,089 villages in phase one is good but what about the remaining districts? Hope there's a timeline for complete coverage.
This is exactly what Digital India needs—state and centre working together! 😍 The 'Digital Bharat Nidhi' fund being discussed could be a great resource if properly utilised. My only concern is the asset transfer from Mandal to Gram Panchayat level. Gram panchayats often lack technical expertise to manage fibre networks. There should be proper training programs alongside the infrastructure.
I appreciate the vision but let's be real—Telangana has been promising 'Digital Telangana' for years now. What's different this time? The SPV structure is good but who will fund it? The CM is asking for central aid while the state also needs to put its money where its mouth is. Also, please ensure last-mile connectivity reaches the actual households, not just the Gram Panchayat office!
S Siddharth J Great move by CM We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.