The Andhra Pradesh Government has embarked upon the ambitious AP Fibre Grid project to provide broadband and net connectivity to all households in the State and it will facilitate e-governance and stimulate economic growth, according to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.

He was speaking here on Thursday evening after inaugurating the phase one of the AP State Fibre Grid project taken up by AP State FiberNet Ltd (APSFL) to provide broadband and net connectivity to all households at affordable rates.

He said, "It is my dream to ensure that every household in the State has access to internet and every family reaps the benefit of it. Internet, video and telephone services will be provided at the doorstep through the project," he said.

John T. Chambers, the Executive Chairman of Cisco Systems, a partner in the project, hailed it as a great initiative taken up by the Chief Minister to propel AP on the growth path and take IT to rural areas to bring about qualitative change in the lives of the rural public.

K. Sambasiva Rao, the Managing Director of APSFL, said the project had been taken up at a cost of Rs 333 crore to lay 23,000 km of optical fibre cable network in the 13 districts of the State, making use of 3.75 lakh electric cables. "We have already covered 9,000 km and the rest will be completed by June/July. The project was launched in November 2015. It envisages taking fibre connectivity to the sub-station level and the last mile connectivity would be provided by cable operators and multi service operators. "Cable TV, internet and telephony will be provided at just Rs 150 a month. It will pave the way for digital inclusiveness," he said.

However, he said, there were certain challenges to be overcome such as evolving a sustainable business model and creating demand for broadband services in the rural areas and developing useful customised content in the local language, Telugu, to make full use of the project.

sarma.rs@thehindu.co.in

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