Dr. Neeraj Mittal, Secretary (Telecom) today digitally inaugurated Centre for Broadband Proliferation in Rural Area (CBBPiR), marking a significant stride towards bridging the digital divide. He also released a research paper on Rural Broadband by CBBPiR. Shri Shailesh Kumar Singh, Secretary (Rural Development) was present as the guest of Honour and delivered the special address.  Shri R. R. Mittar, Director General (Telecom), and Shri Niraj Verma, Administrator (USOF) also addressed the gathering as special guests.

In his address, Dr. Mittal underscored the pivotal role of accelerating village economy to realize the national vision of achieving a developed economy status by 2047. Stressing on the imperative of high-speed solutions complemented by cutting-edge technologies like AI and edge processing, the Secretary highlighted the Department of Telecom's unwavering commitment to democratise opportunities and extend digital access to all citizens. Moreover, Dr. Mittal reiterated the recent Tripartite MoU signed by the DOT with Prasar Bharti and ONDC, underscoring the collaborative efforts towards enhancing digital inclusivity and connectivity in rural areas.

Appreciating the newly launched Centre for Broadband Proliferation in Rural Areas (CBBPiR), Shri Shailesh Kumar Singh expressed his department's readiness to collaborate and participate in this transformative initiative. He outlined the flagship programmes undertaken by his department and highlighted the potential synergies with CBBPiR. Additionally, Shri Deb Kumar Chakrabarti, Director General of NTIPRIT, elucidated on the jurisdiction and scope of the new Centre of Excellence, providing clarity on its role and functioning.

The event saw active participation from industry stakeholders, academia, PSUs, and officials from the Department of Telecom and Ministry of Rural Development, fostering a collaborative environment for dialogue and action. This initiative aims to serve as a platform for stakeholders to collectively address challenges in rural broadband connectivity, assess current status, and devise effective strategies to accelerate broadband proliferation in rural India, ultimately fostering socio-economic development and bridging the digital divide.

National Telecom Institute for Policy Research, Innovation & Training under the Department of Telecommunications Ministry of Communications, also conducted  a workshop  on “Creating Ecosystem for faster Proliferation of Broadband Services in Rural India” .

Various topics like technological alternatives to cover rural areas, affordability, financial viability, quality of service, success stories and case studies were discussed during the workshop. The event saw participation from the industry, Industry Associations, Service providers, Startups and Academia.  

Shri K. Raja Sekhar, DDG (Tx & NGS), NTIPRIT & CEO, CBBPiR delivered the vote of thanks.

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