MillenniumPost
Nation

Over 34.38 crore rural internet subscribers in India, 85.09 cr in total, govt informs Parliament

Over 34.38 crore rural internet subscribers in India, 85.09 cr in total, govt informs Parliament
X

New Delhi: As Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently mentioned in his speech that the number of internet users in rural India is going to strike the number of urban India, junior Minister of Electronics and Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar informed the Parliament that the incumbent government at the Centre is determined to ensure digital opportunities reach every citizen.

The minister also confirmed that as per TRAI, the quarterly performance indicator reports published on February 3, 2023 indicates the total number of internet subscribers as of September 30 last year stood at 85.09 crore, whereas, the internet subscribers in rural areas were 34.38 crore.

Out of 5.3 lakh Common Services Centres (CSCs), 4.19 lakh operational at the gram panchayat level, are delivering 400+ digital services in the locality of citizens, especially living in village areas, he informed.

Chandrasekhar also said that the central government’s ‘Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan’ (PMGDISHA) scheme initially targeted to cover 6 crore rural households (one person per household) in February 2017 for digital literacy in rural India. “To ensure equitable geographical reach, each of the 2,50,000 gram panchayats across the country is envisaged to register an average of 200-300 candidates,” the minister added in his answer to a question by Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member and former bureaucrat Jawhar Sircar. He said that steps are being taken to address the digital divide between urban and rural and between the poor and the rest and by when all households in rural areas will reach 42 per cent of internet connectivity that urban households have.

“India is the pre-eminent nation of the world in using technology to transform the lives of our citizens, governance and democracy. The government is determined to ensure digital opportunities reach every citizen,” Chandrasekhar mentioned.

Further, according to the minister under the PMGDISHA scheme, till February 7, 2022, data shows around 6.71 crore candidates have been enrolled and around 5.77 crore candidates have completed the training, of which more than 4.29 crore candidates have been certified.

“Digitally literate persons are able to operate computers or digital access devices (like tablets, smartphones), send and receive emails, browse the internet, access government services, search for information, undertake cashless transactions, and hence use IT to actively participate in the process of nation building,” MoS electronics and information technology informed the Floor of the House.

Underlining other initiatives of the government, Chandrasekhar also mentioned that in order to operationalise ‘Broadband for All’, a national broadband mission was launched by the central government on December 17, 2019, with a vision to enable fast track growth of digital communications infrastructure, bridge the digital divide for digital empowerment and inclusion, and provide affordable and universal access of broadband for all.

Further, PM WANI framework aims to accelerate the proliferation of internet services by setting up public WiFi access points in the country with the objective of building a digital India and consequential benefits thereon.

Public Data Office Aggregators (PDOAs) registered under the PM WANI framework have set up public WiFi access. Points based on their techno-commercial considerations. The total number of PM WANI hotspots as of date is 1,44,419. Besides, UPI 123PAY has been made operational as an instant payment system for feature phone users who can use Unified Payments Interface (UPI) payment service in a safe and secured manner, the minister mentioned in his reply. Also, Kisan Suvidha has been made operational to help farmers by providing relevant information to them quickly in multiple Indian languages. One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) has been made operational in all 36 states and UTs to help BPL families, many of whom migrate in search of better opportunities.

On an average, nearly 3.5 crore portability transactions are being reported under ONORC every month in the country. As on December 2022, a total of 93.31 crore portability transactions were under ONORC. National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI), set up by the government, has set up internet exchanges across the country. It has the mandate of setting up new Internet Exchanges in select locations depending on need assessment. Internet Exchanges reduce latency, improve response time and potentially reduce the cost to deliver internet services and content.

While answering the TMC RS member’s question about the download and upload speed that the government intends to provide to improve internet services in both rural and urban areas by the end of 2023, Chandrasekhar said, “The internet speed of 25 Mbps is envisaged to be achieved by the end of 2022-23 to improve broadband internet services as per the target under National Broadband Mission. As per Speedtest by Ookla, an average internet speed of 25.29 Mbps in mobile broadband and 49.14 Mbps in fixed broadband as on December 31, 2022, has been achieved. (https://www.speedtest.net/global-index/india).”

Next Story
Share it