The Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), operating under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), has forged a strategic partnership with Prasar Bharati and the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC). This collaboration, sealed through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) announced on Tuesday, heralds a new era of accessible and affordable digital services for remote parts of the country.
The primary objective of this MoU is to leverage the extensive BharatNet infrastructure supported by the USOF to bundle broadband services with over-the-top (OTT) platforms and e-commerce facilities specifically tailored for rural communities.
The ONDC, a key player in the digital infrastructure domain, will lend its technical expertise and provide the necessary framework to facilitate digital commerce in products and services, thereby empowering rural economies.
"This initiative will extend to encompass a wide array of essential services such as education, healthcare, vocational training, financial services including credit and insurance, as well as agricultural support," stated ONDC in an official release.
USOF has played a pivotal role in expanding high-speed broadband connectivity and mobile services to gram panchayats (GPs) and villages across India. This collaboration is poised to further enhance these efforts by integrating Prasar Bharati's OTT platform, offering a diverse range of content including linear channels, live TV, and on-demand programming to rural consumers.
Prasar Bharati, in turn, will curate and produce content specifically tailored for its OTT platform, ensuring relevance and engagement with rural audiences.
"The vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to cultivate an environment conducive to digital innovation serves as the cornerstone of this unprecedented collaboration, which synergizes connectivity, content, and commerce to empower rural India," remarked ONDC.
Established on December 31, 2021, ONDC represents an initiative of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce, with the aim of revolutionizing digital commerce in the country and fostering greater penetration of retail e-commerce.
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