• UGI USER
  • Dec 13, 2023
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2 lakh Gram Panchayats gets optical fibre connection under Bharat Net

News

  • Under Bharat Net, the government has connected more than two lakh Gram Panchayats nationwide with optical fiber.
  • The optical fiber is being laid through the Universal Service Obligation Fund, according to Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Electronics and IT, in response to supplementary questions during today’s Question Hour in the Lok Sabha.
  • According to him, efforts are being made by the government to bring 4G service to rural areas that do not currently have it and now according to Mr. Vaishnaw, 4G tower approval has been granted for 40,000 villages that have not yet received 4G service.
Bharat net

●   Launched in October 2011, the National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) was renamed as Bharat Net Project in 2015.

●   It is the biggest optical fiber-based rural broadband connectivity program in the world and additionally one of Bharat Broadband Network Ltd.’s (BBNL) flagship initiatives.

●   The Indian government established BBNL as a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) in accordance with the Companies Act of 1956.

●   The Ministry of Communications’ Department of Telecommunication is in charge of carrying it out.

Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF)

●   For those living in rural and distant areas, USOF makes sure that they have equitable access to high-quality ICT (information and communications technology) services at reasonable costs.

●   In 2002, it was established under the Ministry of Communications.

●   It is a non-lapsable fund, meaning that any money left over after a targeted fiscal year is accumulated for use in subsequent years.

●   The Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Act, 2003 provides statutory support for this fund, and all credits to it require parliamentary approval.

Question Hour

●   Question Hour takes place during the first hour of each parliamentary session. However, the Rajya Sabha moved the Question Hour in 2014 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

●   When a member asks a starred question, they can ask additional questions after receiving an oral response from the relevant minister. With unstarred questions, on the other hand, they receive a written response and are not eligible for further questions.

●   A question with a notice period of less than ten days is referred to as a short notice question. The response is given verbally.

●   In order for ministries to get ready for Question Hour, the questions are sent out fifteen days ahead of time.

●   Regarding the management of Question Hour, the presiding officers of the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha hold the final say.

●   Question Hour is governed by parliamentary regulations.

●   Every day of the session, both Houses have Question Hour. However, there are two occasions on which there is an exception and they are the day of the president’s speech and the budget presentation.

●   Since it began in 1991, Question Hour has grown to be one of the most noticeable facets of parliamentary operations.