Telecom minister urges industry to come up with business model to monetise NOFN

NEW DELHI: Telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday exhorted the industry to come up with “business models” that could give the government a monetization opportunity for the ongoing National Optic Fiber Network (NOFN) project.

The over Rs 20,000-crore strong national broadband project, approved by UPA-II Cabinet in October 2011, has been marred with delays with telecom operators complaining about the program’s business viability.

“We want industry to come up with various business models so that national optic fibre network can be expanded with a business vision,” Prasad said at the Convergence India 2015 expo-summit.

Prasad said, “Digital India will realize the dream of India tomorrow” and added that the government wants to connect 2.5-lakh gram panchayats (village blocks) and lay 7-lakh kilometers of fibre over next three years in a phased manner.

The pan-India fibre network, he said, would be non discriminatory so that anyone could plug in for services and said that the challenge was how to take fiber beyond panchayat level.

Bharti Airtel International Chairman and Managing Director Manoj Kohli said that the private and public sector can work together for the Digital India initiative by focusing on 6-lakh villages with 75-crore people.

Kohli added that India’s digital initiative should aim to provide top services at grassroots level that include delivery of birth and death certificates, and public distribution services.