Goa Getting Broadband Network
On Friday last week, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh inaugurated the "Goa Broadband Network" (GBBN), an example of private-public partnership, amidst hope and apprehension about the future of the project. Previously named "Goa Net", the Broadband Network project aims at building a state, which is "enabled by IT to be efficient and accountable with a global thinking approach".
GBBN will provide privileges to citizens, including information around education, health care, agriculture, welfare, entertainment, IP telephony, and video conferencing. It will also provide e-governance and B2C (business-to-citizen) services. In a bid to bring in greater efficiency, the network will be rolled-out to nearly 280 government offices, including municipalities, the collectorate, and the state secretariat.
The Prime Minister lauded the project, saying it is a milestone in the use of modern telecommunications and IT for improving public services and the overall quality of life. He praised the private-public partnership responsible for the initiative, calling it a 'viable business model'.
With 10 'Citizen Service Centers' at launch, GBBN intends to scale-up to around 200 such centers by the end of next year. This will generate substantial revenue to meet a major portion of costs involved in the project.
http://www.techtree.com/India/News/Goa_Gets_Broadband_Network_Project/551-85572-549.html
