BSNL to connect 2.5 lakh villages in next 3 years

State-owned telecom major BSNL plans to provide connectivity to 2.50 lakh villages across the country over the next 2-3 years, according to a top company official.

"As a part of providing broadband connectivity to rural areas, in next 2-3 years, BSNL would cover at least 2.50 lakh villages in the country through wireline, Wimax technology or through fibre connectivity," BSNL chairman and managing director Kuldeep Goyal told reporters in Chennai.

He added that the country has over 6 lakh villages, of which 2.50 lakh are gram panchayats and the company intended to cover all the 2.50 lakh villages by providing high-speed broadband.

He said of the 29,000 telephone exchanges in rural areas, wireline broadband was available in 24,000 exchanges.

Goyal said no other operator provided broadband in rural areas on wire line.

"By making 3G services affordable in India, BSNL is ultimately facilitating socio-economic development of the masses through applications such as telemedicine, e-education and e-governance," he said, adding, "BSNL is committed to taking India into the next league of telecom supremacy by providing technologically advanced services to its discerning customers at an affordable cost. In the emerging digital communications era, BSNL is optimizing its quality telecom network".