By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The State Government will provide a free way to Central Government agencies for laying optical fibre network under the National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) to connect State Capitals, Districts, HQs and upto the Block Level.
Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma made the announcement after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
Under the programme, the State Government will have to sign a Memoradum of Agreement (MOA) with the central agency of Ministry of Telecom and the concerned department of the State.
Sangma said that it will be beneficial in State Government’s programme of multi facility centre and and G2C service in rural areas of the State.
Non-discriminatory access to the NOFN will be provided to all the Service Providers. These service providers like Telecom Service Providers (TSPs), ISPs, Cable TV operators and Content providers can launch various services in rural areas. Various categories of applications like e-health, e-education and e-governance etc. can be provided by these operators.
The NOFN project is estimated to cost about Rs. 20,000 Crore and it is proposed to be completed in 2 years’ time.