AGARTALA, July 11 - Promising a sea change in the North East�s internet service, Union Minister for Information and Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad on Saturday laid the foundation stone of international gateway for Internet service here.
�The BSNL has to complete the classic project, making Tripura an international gateway for Internet service by using submarine cable at Cox Bazar in Bangladesh, in time without any delay. Not only Tripura, the entire North East will be benefited from the project�, he said.
Terming it a great project, the Union Minister asked the BSNL authority to take extra care so that the network is erected without compromising with quality. �The project is an example how good a government could do with active help from a good neighbour. Our relation with Bangladesh is matured but as good as it was expected�, he stated.
The Internet facility in North East would be at par with the rest of the country once the project get implemented, he said, adding that development of the country will remain incomplete unless Eastern India and Northeastern region don�t grow.
Prasad said under the Digital India initiative, the Centre is planning to invest Rs 5,000 crore in the NE to improve IT network and a new look Software Technology Park would come up here within next three months.
Making it clear that the BSNL has to turn around its fortune, he stated, �BSNL had made a profit of Rs 10,000 crore when I left the Telecom Ministry and when I took charge of the Ministry after 10 years, its loss stands at Rs 8,000 crore. We will have to bring a change to make it a profit-making organisation�, he said.
Unfolding some initiatives of BSNL for Tripura, Prasad said an amount of Rs 67 crore would be spent to improve network by erecting VTSs and installing new generation landline exchanges.
While speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Manik Sarkar recalled how the plan to use unused submarine cable at Cox Bazar (Bangladesh) to improve the Internet connectivity to Northeastern region came up.
�The initiative was taken up with the Centre long time back after some BSNL officials briefed me about the alternative move. Initially, the Centre was skeptical but the ball started rolling in favour of the plan when Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina agreed on the proposal and inked an agreement�, he recounted.
