CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa on Monday announced that all rural households and rural local bodies would be provided with internet connections at a low cost.

She also announced that internet protocol television (IPTV) would be provided to all rural households and local bodies through Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable Corporation. A new company called Tamil Nadu FibreNet Corporation would be formed for this purpose, the chief minister said.

Reading out a statement in the assembly soon after question hour, Jayalalithaa said, “The government would implement the Centre’s broadband project BharatNet linking more than 12,500 rural local bodies in the state at an investment of Rs 3,000 crore. The TACTV has received internet service provider licence (ISP) from the Centre and has also signed a pact with Indian RailTel for providing high-speed broadband internet services”.

The rural local bodies would be connected through optical fibre with Central Assistance, she said.

Already, 552 cable operators had been roped in and services were being provided to the people. The ISP licence would be used to take internet across every household in the state, she said.

“I am happy to announce that IPTV services will also be provided along with high-speed broadband and other internet services,” the chief minister said. As regards BharatNet, the chief minister said she had been insisting that it should be implemented through the state government and this had been accepted by the Centre.

In another statement, Jayalalithaa said specially designed wheelchairs would be provided to 960 differently-abled persons with spine problems at an estimated cost of Rs 1.92 crore. She said the foldable wheelchairs supplied already were not comfortable to those with spine problems.

