Telangana secures Rs 3,189 crore from the Centre under the Amended BharatNet Programme to expand broadband to 12,769 Gram Panchayats, facilitating three lakh new rural home fibre connections for better digital services.
Telangana is set to expand broadband connectivity across rural areas, with the Centre approving financial support of Rs 3,189 crore for the implementation of the Amended BharatNet Programme in the state, covering 12,769 Gram Panchayats and facilitating around three lakh rural home fibre connections. An agreement for implementing the programme was signed on Friday between Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), the Telangana government, Telangana Rural Internet Infrastructure Corporation Limited (TRIICL), Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Telangana Fibre Grid Corporation Limited (T-Fibre).
Project Scope and Implementation
The project will be implemented through TRIICL under the state-led model and aims to strengthen rural telecom infrastructure, improve network resilience and expand last-mile broadband connectivity. Under the programme, 1,946 Gram Panchayats covered in Phase I of BharatNet will be upgraded from linear to ring topology to enhance network resilience, while 10,787 Gram Panchayats under Phase II will be covered. The initiative will also include 36 newly created Gram Panchayats, taking the total coverage to 12,769.
Impact on Rural Services
The government expects the programme to facilitate approximately three lakh rural home fibre connections with subsidy support from the Centre, extending access to digital services across rural and remote areas of Telangana. The expanded connectivity is expected to support the delivery of e-governance services, online education, telemedicine, digital payments and other citizen-centric services, strengthening digital access in areas where broadband infrastructure remains limited.
Agreement and Strategic Objective
The agreement was signed in the presence of Shyamal Misra, Administrator, Digital Bharat Nidhi, along with senior officials from the Department of Telecommunications, the Telangana government and BSNL. The Union Cabinet had approved the Amended BharatNet Programme on August 4, 2023, with the objective of upgrading, consolidating and expanding the existing BharatNet network to provide robust and future-ready broadband connectivity to all Gram Panchayats and villages on demand. Digital Bharat Nidhi, formerly known as the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), supports the expansion of telecommunications services in underserved rural, remote and urban areas. The agreement is expected to accelerate the implementation of the programme in Telangana and strengthen the state’s rural digital infrastructure. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)