Tamil Nadu to Showcase Rural Fibre Network with CM’s Statewide Grama Sabha Address

CHENNAI:
Tamil Nadu’s rural broadband push is set to get a high-profile spotlight next week, with Chief Minister MK Stalin scheduled to address thousands of village assemblies through a state-wide optical fibre network.

Addressing reporters here on Thursday, Information Technology Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan said that more than 11,800 Gram Panchayats have so far been connected through Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) infrastructure — a key part of the state’s digital inclusion strategy.

“During the Grama Sabha meeting on October 11, the Chief Minister will use the established OFC infrastructure to interact directly via video conferencing with representatives from selected Gram Panchayats,” Thiaga Rajan said. The interaction will be streamed live to 10,000 village panchayats across Tamil Nadu, making it the largest single use of the fibre network to date.

The state government is also overhauling its rural connectivity business model after early efforts to rope in franchisee partners at the Gram Panchayat level fell flat. “Initially, a notification was issued to select Franchisee Partners at the Gram Panchayat level. However, there was very limited interest from eligible individuals under this model,” the minister said.

Operating at the panchayat level proved commercially unviable, with low revenue potential making it difficult to recover costs for household connections and network maintenance. Consumers were also being asked to pay the full cost of installing Optical Network Terminals (ONTs), dampening uptake.

To address these bottlenecks, the government is shifting to an integrated district-level franchisee model. “This change will ensure the installation of ONT devices at a lower cost without collecting high fees from the consumers, and provide quality internet service,” Thiaga Rajan said.

The move is expected to make rural broadband more affordable while creating viable business opportunities for operators. Parallel efforts are underway to bundle internet and OTT services for rural households, aiming to close the digital divide between urban and rural Tamil Nadu.