KATHUA, JULY 10: Deputy Commissioner Kathua Rajesh Sharma, today chaired a review meeting of concerned officers to assess the progress of Rural Internet Connectivity under the Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) initiative in the district.
The meeting was attended by IAS Probationer Nidhi, Assistant Commissioner Revenue, Vishav Partap Singh, Chief Planning Officer, Ranjeet Thakur, officers of BSNL and other concerned departments.
During the meeting, BSNL officials informed that Rural Fibre Internet connectivity has been established up to Panchayat Ghars in Kathua, Hiranagar, Marheen and Dinga Amb under the DBN project. They said broadband services are being provided through BNU locations for extending individual internet connections to households in rural areas, with the objective of ensuring reliable and affordable internet access.
The BSNL authorities further informed that internet connectivity is also being extended to Government schools under the Samagra Shiksha programme to support digital learning and improve access to online educational resources.
Reviewing the progress, the Deputy Commissioner stressed the need to expand internet connectivity to the hilly subdivisions of Basohli, Billawar and Bani, where better digital access is essential for education, public services, healthcare and livelihood opportunities. He directed the concerned agencies to expand the coverage, speed up the remaining works and ensure timely completion of the project.
Deputy Commissioner Rajesh Sharma also emphasised the need to create greater public awareness about the availability and benefits of the Rural Fibre Internet initiative. He directed the concerned departments and BSNL to widely publicize the scheme so that more households and institutions can avail the facility and benefit from improved digital connectivity.
