Around 700 gram panchayats of Uttarakhand will soon be directly connected to the prime minister’s office as their basic requirement of electricity is being met by the state power department while the internet services infrastructure was readied months ago.

Now villagers from these gram panchayats will be able to avail the benefits of social welfare schemes from their places instead of running to the government offices from place to place.

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Officials in the state rural development department have informed that nearly 700 villages are set to be fully connected with PMO through BhatatNet plan of the center.

According to these officials it became possible only after these villages were included in the second phase of BharatNet plan of the center started in 2021.

Uttarakhand Power Corporation Limited (UPCL) has now provided electricity connections to more than 200 panchayat buildings. Remaining 500 buildings will also be provided power connections soon” said ML Prasad, director operation, UPCL.

Its significant that nodal agency BSNL had already laid optical fibre cables in these panchayats as part of BharatNet scheme but it remained non operational for the want of electricity connection as internet services could not be made available here.

Second phase of the scheme remained under the wrap for nearly two years but it gained momentum after Chief Secretary S S Sandhu reviewed its status and pulled up the officials concerned.