Lucknow, March 10 -- The State Transformation Commission (STC) on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with One OTT Entertainment Limited, a subsidiary of the Hinduja Group, to expand high-speed broadband connectivity across Uttar Pradesh under Project Ganga. Under the initiative, around 20 lakh homes will be connected to high-speed internet over the next two to three years. The project is expected to benefit nearly one crore people, especially those living in rural areas. Project Ganga, which stands for government assisted network for growth and advancement, is being spearheaded by the STC to strengthen digital infrastructure in the state and improve access to internet services in villages. To implement the project, the state government plans to appoint between 8,000 and 10,000 digital service providers at the Nyaya Panchayat level. About 50% of these service providers will be women, aimed at promoting employment and entrepreneurship among women in rural areas. The initiative is also expected to generate more than one lakh direct and indirect employment opportunities. Finance and parliamentary affairs minister Suresh Kumar Khanna said the MoU marked an important step towards strengthening digital infrastructure in the state while creating large-scale employment opportunities. He said the availability of high-speed internet in rural areas would open new avenues in digital services, online business, education and healthcare. "The state government is continuously working to ensure that broadband facilities reach every village," Khanna said. The minister also highlighted a government scheme launched in January 2024 under which youth are provided loans of up to Rs.5 lakh without interest and without guarantee to support digital entrepreneurship. More than one lakh people have already benefited from the scheme, he added. Manoj Kumar Singh, chief executive officer of the state transformation commission, said digital infrastructure had become as important as physical infrastructure in driving development. "This MoU is an important step towards reducing the digital divide and ensuring that broadband connectivity, OTT services and high-speed internet reach villages," he said. Singh added that the initiative would create new opportunities for rural youth through digital services and online platforms such as YouTube....