BANGALORE: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has ambitious plans to provide internet connectivity to the remotest Indian villages. ISRO is looking at a possible association with BSNL in this mission.

Addressing a function to launch BSNL's 'Data One' broadband services in Bangalore, ISRO chairman and Secretary, Department of Space G Madhavan said the organisation has plans to join hands with BSNL to spread the latest telecom technologies to remote rural areas.

"Almost 75 per cent of the population living in the rural areas is deprived of good telecom connectivity. ISRO's space technology and BSNL's ground linkage would be used together to change this scenario," he said.

Declaring that connectivity to inaccessible areas could be provided only by satellites, which could be, networked in a local are through wireless, Madhavan said that internet bandwidth could be beamed through ISRO's communication satellites and transmitted through a wireless network within remote villages.

"Satellite communication connectivity would be far cheaper than laying of optic fiber cables through mountains and unreachable places," he said.

This along with the announcement made by the Union IT and Telecommunications minister Dayanithi Maran on the possibility of launching a sub-Rs.10, 000 computer by June 2005, during his address on the occasion of BSNL 'Data One' launch in Chennai indicates the government's intentions to make computers and the internet more affordable and popular.