Digital India Expands Internet Access and E-Services in Tamil Nadu

The Digital India programme has significantly expanded internet connectivity, digital public services and technology-driven skill development across the country, with Tamil Nadu emerging as one of the key beneficiaries of the initiative. Launched in 2015, the programme is focused on building digital infrastructure, delivering government services online and equipping citizens with the skills needed to participate in the digital economy.

Responding to a question in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasada highlighted the progress made under the programme, pointing to improvements in broadband connectivity, digital payments, online public services and digital literacy across Tamil Nadu, including Dharmapuri district.

Internet and Mobile Connectivity Continue to Grow

India's telecom network has expanded rapidly over the past decade, with telephone connections increasing from 93.3 crore in 2014 to more than 133 crore by March 2026. Internet subscribers have also crossed 109 crore nationwide, while Tamil Nadu alone has more than 6.9 crore internet users and over 8.41 crore telephone connections.

The BharatNet project has played a major role in extending broadband access to rural areas, making around 2.21 lakh Gram Panchayats service-ready across India. In Tamil Nadu, 9,280 Gram Panchayats have been connected, including 210 in Dharmapuri district. Mobile connectivity has also improved through the Government-funded 4G Saturation Project, with 257 mobile towers commissioned across the state and ₹1,886 crore disbursed under various Digital Bharat Nidhi projects.

Digital Platforms Reach Millions of Citizens

The Government said Digital India has transformed the delivery of public services through platforms such as Aadhaar, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), Unified Payments Interface (UPI), DigiLocker, UMANG and e-Sanjeevani. More than 8.18 crore Aadhaar numbers have been issued in Tamil Nadu, supporting access to welfare schemes and secure digital authentication.

UPI has grown into the world's largest digital payment system, connecting over 55 crore users and 6.5 crore merchants nationwide. DigiLocker has registered more than 2.18 crore Aadhaar-linked users in Tamil Nadu, while the UMANG platform provides access to 2,575 government services, including 17 offered by the Tamil Nadu Government. The e-Sanjeevani telemedicine platform has completed more than four crore consultations in the state, making healthcare more accessible through digital technology.

Focus on Digital Skills and Rural Access

The programme has also prioritised digital literacy and technology-based skill development. Under the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA), more than 14 lakh people in Tamil Nadu received digital literacy training, including over 64,000 beneficiaries from Dharmapuri district.

FutureSkills Prime, developed in partnership with NASSCOM, has enrolled more than 5.81 lakh learners from Tamil Nadu in courses covering emerging technologies. The National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) has trained more than 37,500 candidates in the state over the past three years, while its Digital University platform continues to offer industry-focused programmes in areas such as artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.

Tamil Nadu's digital governance has also been strengthened through the e-Sevai portal, which provides online access to a wide range of government services. The state currently has 18,240 Common Service Centres, including 12,112 operating at Gram Panchayat level, helping deliver digital services to rural communities and improving last-mile connectivity across the state.