Broadband connectivity to reach thousands of villages across 16 states in the country, announces the government
The Indian government has approved extension of BharatNet project in 16 states covering around 360,000 villages. It is expected that the extension of the project to all inhabited villages with high speed broadband will enable better access to e-services.
The BharatNet programme is estimated to cover 360,000 villages. Photo: By arrangement
BharatNet, the government’s rural broadband connectivity program, will be extended to 360,000 villages in 16 states.This was announced by the Union Cabinet two days ago on June 30. The cabinet approved a revised implementation strategy of BharatNet through Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode in these states.
The estimated maximum viability gap funding approved for the PPP model is Rs 19,041 crores (Rs 190.41 billion).
The states that will come under this programme include Kerala, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.
An estimated 360,000 villages including gram panchayats will be covered in these states.
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The Union Cabinet also approved the extension of BharatNet to inhabited villages in the remaining states and UTs as well.
“Proliferation of broadband in rural areas will bridge the rural-urban divide of digital access and accelerate the achievement of Digital India. The penetration and proliferation of broadband is also expected to increase direct and indirect employment and income generation,” read the press statement issued by the cabinet dated June 30.
It is expected that the extension of reach of BharatNet to all inhabited villages with high speed broadband will enable better access to e-services offered by various central and state government agencies. It will also enable online education, telemedicine, skill development, and e-commerce, among other things.
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As per the Union Cabinet, the PPP Model will leverage private sector efficiency for operation, maintenance, utilisation and revenue generation and is expected to result in faster roll out of BharatNet.
In a media report, Communications, Electronics & Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad was quoted as saying that last year on Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced broadband connectivity to all inhabited villages in 1,000 days. Out of 250,000 gram panchayats, 156,000 were connected with broadband so far, he said.
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