BharatNet Connects 2.14 Lakh Gram Panchayats, Internet Users Cross 1 Billion

Replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha, the Minister said BharatNet is an ambitious Government of India initiative aimed at ensuring connectivity for every citizen.

Union Minister of Communications and Development of the North Eastern Region Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia informed Parliament on Thursday that BharatNet, one of the world’s largest government-led rural broadband programmes, is playing a transformative role in bridging India’s digital divide and expanding high-speed internet access across remote and underserved regions.

Replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha, the Minister said BharatNet is an ambitious Government of India initiative aimed at ensuring connectivity for every citizen.

“Over the last eleven years, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, India has witnessed an unprecedented expansion in mobile and broadband connectivity, driving a historic digital transformation,” Shri Scindia said.

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India’s Digital Leap Since 2014

The Minister highlighted the scale of India’s connectivity growth over the last decade:

• Mobile subscribers выросли from 930 million (2014) to 1.2 billion today

• Mobile penetration increased from 75% to 92%

• Internet subscribers rose from 250 million to over 1 billion

• Internet penetration jumped from 20% to nearly 71.8%

• Broadband subscribers expanded from 61 million to over 1 billion

• Average fixed broadband speed now stands at 61.55 Mbps

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BharatNet: Connecting India’s Gram Panchayats

BharatNet provides connectivity by laying Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) across gram panchayats.

• Total gram panchayats in India: 2,56,000

• Gram panchayats made online under Phases I & II: nearly 2,14,000

• Implementation cost so far: ₹42,000 crore

The Minister said BharatNet is enabling meaningful digital inclusion by connecting rural governance, schools, health centres and local institutions.

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Tamil Nadu: State-Led Implementation Through Tanfinet

In Tamil Nadu, the project is being implemented through the State SPV Tanfinet, instead of BSNL.

• Total gram panchayats in Tamil Nadu: 12,525

• Connected so far: 10,869

The remaining gram panchayats and 4,767 non-GP villages will be covered under the Amended BharatNet Programme, described as a $16.9 billion initiative, the largest government-led connectivity programme globally.

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National Broadband Mission 2.0: Targets for 2030

Shri Scindia informed the House that National Broadband Mission (NBM) 2.0, launched on 1 April 2025, has set seven key national targets for 2030:

• OFC connectivity with 95% uptime achieved in 42,000 villages (target: 2.7 lakh villages)

• Broadband connectivity to anchor institutions at 68.8% (target: 90%)

• Fixed broadband speed at 61.55 Mbps (target: 100 Mbps)

• Right of Way (ROW) disposal time reduced from 455 days to 30.4 days

• Fibre mapping achieved 94% (target: 100%)

• Rural internet subscribers per 100 population at 47.16 (target: 60)

• Sustainable energy use in mobile towers at 12.38% (target: 30%)

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ROW Rules: Call for Faster State Compliance

Out of 36 States and UTs, 33 have implemented the Telecommunications ROW Rules, 2024. However, compliance is pending in States including:

• Tamil Nadu

• West Bengal

The Minister noted that while the national average ROW processing time is 30.4 days, Tamil Nadu’s average stands at 85 days, nearly three times higher.

“Cooperation from States in implementing Right of Way regulations and portals will significantly accelerate broadband expansion,” Shri Scindia said.

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Tamil Nadu Status Under NBM

The Minister provided a detailed update on Tamil Nadu:

• Operational OFC connectivity in 4,325 villages (Jan 2026)

• Anchor institution broadband connectivity at 84.74% (Dec 2025)

• ROW disposal time at 84.9 days (FY 2025–26)

• Rural internet subscribers per 100 population at 54.53 (Sept 2025)

• 255 4G BTS deployed covering 297 villages

• 3,08,907 route km OFC laid, including 55,000 km under BharatNet

• 808 FTTH connections provided through BharatNet

• Amended BharatNet plans FTTH for 5,27,506 households over 10 years

Funding details:

• ₹1,883.17 crore allocated/disbursed up to Dec 2025

• Additional ₹1,632 crore (excluding GST) intended for ABP implementation in Tamil Nadu

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Towards Inclusive Digital Growth

The Minister reiterated that continued Centre–State collaboration will be critical in achieving broadband targets by 2030 and ensuring inclusive digital development across rural India.

With BharatNet already connecting over two lakh gram panchayats, the programme remains central to India’s vision of universal, high-speed broadband access and a digitally empowered society.