<p>Telecommunications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad Tuesday said the National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) project will usher in an e-commerce revolution in the country.<br /><br /></p>.<p>"The NOFN will lead to an empowered India with villages boarding the Internet superway. It will also lead to an explosion of e-commerce in the country," he said at the first meeting of the centre and states on various initiatives under the Digital India programme.<br /><br />The NOFN aims at providing broadband connectivity to 2.5 lakh gram panchayats in India by March 2017.<br /><br />Prasad also added that as Internet penetrates into every village and city, the people will go online and avail the e-commerce route to buy things and that will eventually lead to expansion of e-commerce and building eco-system. "This will lead to creation of more jobs and growth in the economy," he added.<br /><br />Earlier in the month, Prasad said: "A big revolution waiting to occur in the field of digital connectivity and once the government is able to create an enabling atmosphere, I am sure retailers, service providers, content creators will come on their own."<br /><br />The previous government thought of it, but it was in limbo, he said. "We have decided that we shall reach 50,000 gram panchayats this year, 1 lakh next year and 1 lakh a year after that. This we are pursuing very very vigorously."</p>
<p>Telecommunications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad Tuesday said the National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) project will usher in an e-commerce revolution in the country.<br /><br /></p>.<p>"The NOFN will lead to an empowered India with villages boarding the Internet superway. It will also lead to an explosion of e-commerce in the country," he said at the first meeting of the centre and states on various initiatives under the Digital India programme.<br /><br />The NOFN aims at providing broadband connectivity to 2.5 lakh gram panchayats in India by March 2017.<br /><br />Prasad also added that as Internet penetrates into every village and city, the people will go online and avail the e-commerce route to buy things and that will eventually lead to expansion of e-commerce and building eco-system. "This will lead to creation of more jobs and growth in the economy," he added.<br /><br />Earlier in the month, Prasad said: "A big revolution waiting to occur in the field of digital connectivity and once the government is able to create an enabling atmosphere, I am sure retailers, service providers, content creators will come on their own."<br /><br />The previous government thought of it, but it was in limbo, he said. "We have decided that we shall reach 50,000 gram panchayats this year, 1 lakh next year and 1 lakh a year after that. This we are pursuing very very vigorously."</p>