Lok Sabha Question No. 2397 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-30
Subject: Broadband Service in Non-Electrified Villages
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: JAGDAMBIKA PAL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2397 TO BE ANSWERED ON 30 TH  NOVEMBER, 2016

## BROADBAND SERVICE IN NON-ELECTRIFIED VILLAGES

†2397. SHRI JAGDAMBIKA PAL:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to provide Internet broadband facilities to non-electrified villages and the villages which have less than 100 population;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with the villages so far connected, State-wise;
- (c) if not, the State-wise reasons therefor; and
- (d) the steps taken by the Government to improve the broadband services?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS & MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI MANOJ SINHA)

(a) to (d) BharatNet  projecthas  been  planned  to  provide  100  Mbps  broadband connectivity  to    all  Gram  Panchayats  (approx.  2.5  lakh)  in  the  country  by  using  an optimal mix of underground  fibre, fibre over power  lines, radio and  satellite media. The project is planned to be implemented in three phases: Under first phase of the project, 1 lakh  Gram  Panchayats  (GPs)  are  to  be  connected  by  laying underground  Optical  Fibre  Cable(OFC)  by  March  2017.  Under  second  phase, connectivity will be provided to remaining 1.5 lakh GPs in the country using an optimal mix  of  underground  fibre,  fibre  over  power  lines,  radio  and  satellite  media,  and provision  of  Wi-Fi  Hotspots  in  all  GPs  by  September,  2018.  Futuristic  network  with ring topology to be used between districts and blocks and blocks and GPs, targeted to be completed by 2023.

As on 20.11.2016, optical fibre cable has been laid to 63,631 Gram GPs with a total  length  of  1,45,693  km. Out  of  these,  14,009    GPs  have  been  provided  with broadband  connectivity.  State-wise  status  of  BharatNet  as  on  20.11.2016  are  at Annexure .

Different service providers like internet service providers, cable service providers etc. will be able to use the infrastructure laid under BharatNet to ensure last mile  broadband connectivity  to  various  consumers  in  the  villages.  Telecom  Service providers will also roll-out broadband through 3G and 4G mobile services.

Annexure State-wise status of BharatNetas on  20.11.2016

| S.No.   | States/ UTs          | No. of Gram Panchayats (GPs)- Phase I   | Pipe laid (kms.)   | Cable laid (in kms)   | No. of GPs where Pipe laid   | No. of GPs where Cable laid   | GPs Connected   |
|---------|----------------------|-----------------------------------------|--------------------|-----------------------|------------------------------|-------------------------------|-----------------|
| 1       | Assam                | 1013                                    | 2442               | 2159                  | 884                          | 787                           | 323             |
| 2       | Bihar                | 5202                                    | 8863               | 7715                  | 3455                         | 2930                          | 397             |
| 3       | Chhattisgarh         | 2110                                    | 5421               | 5163                  | 1845                         | 1731                          | 964             |
| 4.      | Haryana              | 6090                                    | 6267               | 6280                  | 4164                         | 3984                          | 398             |
| 5.      | Jammu & Kashmir      | 624                                     | 253                | 240                   | 182                          | 118                           | 0               |
| 6.      | Karnataka            | 5599                                    | 10392              | 10767                 | 5325                         | 5259                          | 4826            |
| 7.      | Kerala               | 977                                     | 720                | 826                   | 1129                         | 1129                          | 1129            |
| 8.      | Madhya Pradesh       | 10516                                   | 24175              | 21690                 | 8671                         | 7232                          | 1210            |
| 9.      | Maharashtra          | 12055                                   | 18024              | 15797                 | 8014                         | 7127                          | 1008            |
| 10.     | Punjab               | 6128                                    | 6647               | 6363                  | 4830                         | 4447                          | 96              |
| 11.     | Rajasthan            | 6967                                    | 16247              | 15088                 | 5209                         | 4875                          | 909             |
| 12.     | Uttar Pradesh        | 22514                                   | 35879              | 27566                 | 17855                        | 12737                         | 1110            |
| 13.     | Uttarakhand          | 1767                                    | 2176               | 1890                  | 1204                         | 1046                          | 243             |
| 14.     | West Bengal          | 2713                                    | 2684               | 2556                  | 969                          | 937                           | 130             |
| 15.     | Andaman & Nicobar    | 69                                      | 0                  | 0                     | 0                            | 0                             | 0               |
| 16.     | Chandigarh           | 12                                      | 18                 | 19                    | 12                           | 12                            | 12              |
| 17.     | Arunachal Pradesh    | 256                                     | 730                | 117                   | 202                          | 22                            | 0               |
| 18.     | Nagaland             | 743                                     | 2197               | 841                   | 662                          | 202                           | 0               |
| 19.     | Manipur              | 24                                      | 95                 | 73                    | 41                           | 24                            | 26              |
| 20.     | Mizoram              | 163                                     | 456                | 123                   | 27                           | 5                             | 0               |
| 21.     | Tripura              | 1021                                    | 1574               | 1392                  | 759                          | 756                           | 79              |
| 22.     | Meghalaya            | 651                                     | 1148               | 277                   | 399                          | 80                            | 0               |
| 23.     | Gujarat              | 5771                                    | 8070               | 6360                  | 3578                         | 2880                          | 3230            |
| 24.     | Puducherry           | 98                                      | 82                 | 92                    | 98                           | 98                            | 101             |
| 25.     | Andhra Pradesh       | 0                                       | 1913               | 21                    | 0                            | 0                             | 728             |
| 26.     | Telangana            | 2097                                    | 4272               | 4083                  | 1908                         | 1832                          | 129             |
| 27.     | Odisha               | 3388                                    | 5870               | 5031                  | 2256                         | 2104                          | 355             |
| 28.     | Jharkhand            | 1428                                    | 3057               | 2958                  | 1275                         | 1214                          | 244             |
| 29.     | Himachal Pradesh     | 283                                     | 296                | 205                   | 75                           | 63                            | 0               |
| 30.     | Daman & Diu          | 0                                       | 0                  | 0                     | 0                            | 0                             | 0               |
| 31.     | Dadra & Nagar Haveli | 0                                       | 0                  | 0                     | 0                            | 0                             | 0               |
| 32.     | Sikkim               | 0                                       | 0                  | 0                     | 0                            | 0                             | 0               |
| 33.     | Lakshadweep          | 10                                      | 0                  | 0                     | 0                            | 0                             | 0               |
| 34.     | Tamil Nadu           | 0                                       | 0                  | 0                     | 0                            | 0                             | 0               |
| 35.     | Goa*                 | -                                       | -                  | -                     | -                            | -                             | -               |
|         | Grand Total          | 1,00,289                                | 1,69,967           | 1,45,693              | 75,028                       | 63,631                        | 14,009          |

*All the GPs of Goa are already connected with Optical Fibre.

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