NEHA VERMA, a class 10 student at the government school in Baba Mohtara gram panchayat in Bemetara district of Chhattisgarh, could not study at all in the past two years. “I was in the eighth grade when our school closed down in March 2020 because of the pandemic," says the 14-year-old. "We were all promoted, and asked to attend online classes from the next academic session. I could not take the classes as there is no internet at my house. This is true for most families here," she says.
This is surprising as Baba Mohtara is connected with high speed internet under the Centre's BharatNet scheme, which aims to provide high-speed broadband connectivity in rural areas at affordable prices. One of its primary objectives is to facilitate e-education, besides digitising all gram panchayat offices. The scheme also has the provision of providing internet connections to households.
When Down To Earth (DTE) visited the village on February 15, 2022, it found that the rural internet box, kept inside the gram panchayat bhawan, had been lying idle since it was installed in early 2021. The box was inside a locked room, as the officials who had come to install it had said it should be kept in a cool place. The room was dusty and full of cobwebs, and the village secretary, responsible for implementing government schemes, said he did not know why it had been installed there. DTE visited three other villages near Baba Mohtara and found the same situation: they had an internet box, but no internet.
BharatNet was rolled out in October 25, 2011. The scheme has since missed several deadlines, and the current plan, revised in this year's Union budget, is to finish it by 2025. The pandemic served as the litmus test for the scheme, which is not only delayed, but also poorly executed.
MISSING LINK
Only 55 per cent of service-ready gram panchayats have an active internet connection
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara