By OMER FAROOQ, Associated Press Writer

HYDERABAD, India - In a bid to give a big push to e-governance, an Indian state on Monday cleared a plan that will help its officials move Internet data thousand times faster than now.

Under the plan, a consortium of six companies will build a new broadband network in southern Andhra Pradesh state, said Mohammed Ali Shabbir, the state's information minister.

The new network — estimated to cost $90 million — will transfer data between the state's capital and its 23 districts at a speed of 10 gega bytes per second, or more than 5,000 times the speed on the existing network, Shabbir said.

The project will be completed in two years, he said. The network will provide services to 40,000 government offices throughout the state.

Andhra Pradesh is one of the first Indian states to promote online provision of government services to citizens. Its capital, Hyderabad, also is a hub of knowledge-based industries that has attracted companies like Microsoft Corp. to set up research centers there.

Shabbir said the new network will also improve Internet connectivity between cities and the rural areas. Government officials posted in district headquarters can transfer data to village-level offices at 1 gega byte per second, which will be more than 1,000 times faster than now.

"It will revolutionize the entire communication network," he said.

Shabbir said a common citizen will also be able to get Internet connection at a very low tariff — of about $2.2 per month.

"Widespread availability of broadband services at very low and affordable rates is expected to take government services to the doorsteps of the citizens and also trigger significant economic activity in ever sector," he added.

The consortium will be led by Aksh Broadband Ltd. — a fiber optic manufacturing company based in Gurgaon, adjoining New Delhi, India's capital.

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