Government has allocated Rs.927 crore for National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology (NMEICT) in more than three years, Human Resource Development minister Smriti Irani informed the Lok Sabha on August 6NMEICT aims to provide 20 broadband connections (of 512 kbps speed) to over 25,000 colleges and 2,000 polytechnics apart from optical fibre connectivity (of 1 gbps speed) to 419 universities and university level institutions.
Irani informed the Lok Sabha that Rs 927 crore has been allocated for the mission during 2011-12 till the end of July this year.
Out of the total amount, Rs.730 crore has already been spent, she said during the Question Hour.
“So far connectivity to 403 universities/university level institutions and 21,026 colleges in the country has been provided,” the minister noted.
NMEICT has three components – content generation, providing connectivity to colleges and universities and research and development of low cost access device.
Under the mission, funds are released to university and university level institutions.
“For connectivity to universities and colleges, central share of 75 per cent of the cost is directly released to the BSNL/MTNL (implementing agency) with the stipulation that the balance 25 percent of the cost (10 percent in case of institution of North East Region) would be deposited by the concerned institution directly to BSNL/MTNL,” Irani said.
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