Centre to invest Rs 3,384 crore for broadband connectivity in 50,000 Odisha villages

Bhubaneswar, July 29 -- The Centre will invest more than Rs 3,384 crore to expand high-speed broadband connectivity across rural Odisha under the BharatNet Phase-III project, following the signing of two key Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) by the Odisha government on Wednesday to expand the state's digital infrastructure.

Under the project, all 6,799 gram panchayats in the state will be upgraded with IP-MPLS technology and a ring topology network, while Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) connectivity will be extended to villages.

The project, to be completed over the next three years, is expected to provide internet access to more than 50,000 villages. The first MoU, aimed at implementing the revised BharatNet programme in Odisha, was signed amon...