Kerala, one of the most beautiful places to visit or live in India, is also the first state in the country to have its own internet service. The announcement of the internet service was made by the Chief Minister of the state – Pinarayi Vijayan.
The government of Kerala wants the internet service to be accessible to everyone living in the state. Thus, the government established Kerala Fiber Optic Network Ltd (KFON), which also got the ISP (Internet Service Provider) license from the Telecommunications Department (DoT).
The minister tweeted that Kerala is the first state in the country to have its own internet service. The KFON project can now be launched and the people living in Kerala can get internet as a basic right, the minister added.
Goal of KFON project and current project status
As part of the KFON project, the BPL families receive free broadband internet service. More than 30,000 government offices in the state will also be provided with free internet through the KFON project.
This will surely go a long way for both the people of Kerala and the government. The state government recognizes that the internet is a fundamental human right. Most low-income families cannot afford internet access and are deprived of the opportunities that people with internet access have.
The KFON website states that 15,600 km of OFC (fiber optic cable) have been deployed along with more than 5,000 km of backbone OFC. The project has an ambitious goal of giving 20 lakh+ people in the state free internet by deploying 35,000 km of OFC.
This is something that other states with strong economies can follow as well. Not everyone can afford the internet, which is why it is important for state and central governments to work together and ensure that even people who cannot afford it are connected to the internet in some way. This will only propel India to a better future.
