Linking of Villages through Satellite

Lok Sabha :

Department of Space initiated Experimental Gramsat Programme in 1998 to facilitate training of panchayat level functionaries and to promote developmental activities mostly in remote areas. As a part of Gramsat programme, Satcom networks have been established at District/Block/Panchyat level as below:-

Satcom networks were not set up at village level under Gramsat programme. However, villages coming under the above mentioned Panchayats will get benefited by these facilities. The programmes were tailored to meet the requirements of individual States.

Based on the experience of GRAMSAT TDCC, tele-medicine, tele-education and remote sensing applications, ISRO has established Village Resource Centres (VRC). VRCs provide integrated services comprising of tele-education, tele-medicine, natural resources information and skill development. At present 291 VRCs have been established in States of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Delhi, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Puducherry. These centers are established based on the requirement and interest shown by various State and Central Government departments/institutions/NGOs etc.

This information was given by the Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, Shri Prithviraj Chavan in the Lok Sabha today.

Source : Press Information Bureau
Date : November 21, 2007