CM’s Call To Revitalise AP FiberNet With A Target Of 10 Lakh Connections

Vijayawada:Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has called for efforts to restore and revitalise the AP FiberNet project and proposed a target of achieving eight to 10 lakh connections -- from the present 4.53 lakh.

The chief minister reviewed the AP FiberNet project with the senior officials here on Monday with regard to its current status, financial constraints, new challenges, corrective steps and the need for a robust new policy to promote it in a big way with special emphasis on students and government departments.

Naidu alleged that the YSR Congress government made it almost defunct. The previous TD government launched the visionary initiative in 2014-2019, he said, and pointed out how the number of connections registered at 8.70 lakh in 2019 dropped to 4.50 lakh during the YSR Congress term. He alleged that the YSR Congress government adopted a new way of corruption by placing the party supporters in government roles and used the facility for political work. The FiberNet facility was no exception, he said, and directed the officials to probe the unauthorised appointments.

The CM approved the integration of AP FiberNet with the BharatNet (Amended BharatNet Programme-ABP). Under this scheme, the Centre would allocate `1,900 crore to AP FiberNet from 2025 to 2035. He has also approved the transition of fiber networks in 1,692 gram panchayats located in Chittoor and Visakhapatnam districts from linear to ring architecture.

In addition to it, 480 gram panchayats would be connected using the ring model. The Centre would provide `430 crore for this phase.

Moreover, the CM proposed the creation of a Special Purpose Vehicle to be jointly managed by the Centre and the state government to oversee these projects. He said a CEO would be appointed by the state government to head the SPV.

Naidu reviewed the capital and operational expenditures at the state level and the causes for a dip in the number of connections during the recent years.

As part of revival efforts, the CM asked officials to expedite completion of the selection process of set-top box suppliers and called for developing a revenue sharing model with local cable operators using new set up boxes. He called for involvement of private agencies to distribute set-top boxes in remote areas.

Naidu underscored the need to reintroduce services like virtual classrooms and to strengthen the fiber network in rural and underserved areas, and resolve the pending issues with local cable operators. He called for appointment of an engineering, procurement and construction contractor to manage both the AP FiberNet and BharatNet networks while the BSNL would serve as the project management agency in line with ABP guidelines.

The chief minister asked the officials to come up with an action plan in the next cabinet meeting to further utilise the network’s capabilities.

The officials said that from June 2024 to June 2025, an amount of `192.5 crore had been allocated under CAPEX and `66.76 crore under OPEX. An additional `67.14 crore from the Centre under BharatNet phase-2 was yet to be received.

The officials also informed Naidu that FiberNet services were extended to 12,946 gram panchayats so far. Some 104 government offices were having active connections and 21,000 institutions were benefiting from high-speed broadband. Connectivity had been extended to 175 telecom towers.

The officials said that so far 78,355km of fiber optic cable had been laid across the state and the aim was to expand it to two lakh km. AP led other states in fiber optic network coverage, and it was followed by Maharashtra with 50,481km, Tamil Nadu-49,616km, Gujarat-35,246km and Telangana29,143km.