Free internet for two million poor households, a big digital-divide-bridging initiative, is the key take away from the Left Democratic Front’s (LDF) first budget since returning to power in Kerala. The state budget has earmarked R1,000 crore for laying optic fibre network, which will optimise time and costs by joyriding the distribution network of Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB).
“The idea of free internet for poor is a tangible step to make internet access a citizen’s right in the State.” Kerala finance minister TM Thomas Isaac said, here, while presenting the budget.
Kerala government’s internet initiative will be available to citizens who are better off too, through a nominal charge.
The optic fiber network will be in place in 18 months, says Isaac. The K-phone, that Pinarayi Vijayan government plans, will take BSNL’s help to use an optical fibre network that effectively piggybacks the currently-existing distribution network of KSEB. “As much as 1 GB data per month will be free of cost. Additional usage may be charged but BSNL is expected to roll out the cheapest plan available for this ambitious project,” state FM says.
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Singapore and French government are in the middle of similar initiatives to make internet cheaper for less privilleged, but not quite free and encompassing so many in scale.