PANAJI
The Goa government has paid out a whopping Rs 82-crore over the last four financial years between April 2019 and Mach 2023 to its contractual partner M/s United Telecom Limited appointed the implementing agency for the Goa Broadband Network Project (GBBN).
The contract had expired on March 31 this year but the State government extended it for four months until July 31, according to Information Technology Minister Rohan Khaunte.
“The government plans to launch GBBN 2.0 by laying new Optical Fiber Cable under Public Private Partnership model and Design, Finance, Build, Operate and Transfer mode,” Khaunte said in a written reply to a starred question tabled in the Goa legislative assembly by Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai.
Khaunte said, the tender is being prepared and is under consideration of the State government which intends to seek funds from the Centre under its BharatNet Phase II for the project.
The Goa Broadband Network (GBBN) project was implemented back in 2009 during the tenure of the Digambar Kamat-led government and had a 10-year tenure.
However, when the contract was expiring in July 2019, the government extended the deal with UTL for two years (eight quarters).
The contract was then again renewed amid the Covid-19 pandemic and when online connectivity became quintessential for the administration. It now expires on July 31.
The project involved providing internet services with a dedicated optic fibre cable laid across the State and ensuring connectivity between the State Secretariat and all government departments, panchayats, civic bodies and institutions in the State.
