Lok Sabha Question No. 1768 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-02-13
Subject: National Optical Fibre Network
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: DODDAALAHALLI KEMPEGOWDA SURESH, BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO, NALIN KUMAR KATEEL, RAJESHBHAI NARANBHAI CHUDASAMA, PRABHATSINH PRATAPSINH CHAUHAN, ALOK SANJAR

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1768 TO BE ANSWERED ON 13 TH  FEBRUARY, 2019

## NATIONAL OPTICAL FIBRE NETWORK

1768.  SHRI D.K. SURESH:

SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO: SHRI NALIN KUMAR KATEEL: SHRI RAJESHBHAI CHUDASAMA: SHRI P.P. CHAUHAN: SHRI ALOK SANJAR:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of optical fibre laid so far under the National Optical Fibre Network Project and the time frame to achieve the remaining targets;
- (b) the  number of Gram Panchayats connected with broadband and WiFi hotspots so far under the said project along with the State-wise details thereof;
- (c) the number of Gram Panchayats of Gujarat, Jharkhand, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh yet to be connected under the said project, the district-wise details thereof;
- (d) the total amount of funds that have been allocated, released and spent so far during the last three years year-wise under the said project along with the cost outlay for completing the said project and the State-wise details thereof; and
- (e) the details of the problems being faced in the implementation of the stated project?

## ANSWER

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

(a)& (b) BharatNet  project  (earlier  known  as  National  Optical  Fibre  Network  Project)  is being implemented in a phased manner to create a network to connect all the Gram Panchayats (approx.  2.5  lakh)  by  broadband  in  the  country.  As  on  03.02.2019,  by  laying  3,11,191  km underground OFC, 1,23,766 GPs have been connected and of these Gram Panchayats (GPs), a total of 1,16,961 GPs have been made Service Ready.  The State-wise details of the number of Gram Panchayats connected with broadband are given in Annexure-I .

As  part  of  BharatNet  project,  the  last  mile  connectivity,  through  Wi-Fi  or  any  other suitable broadband technology to access broadband /internet services, is being provided at all the  GPs in the country. The Wi-Fi hotspots have been installed at 41,139 GPs and of these GPs, services are being provided at 10,883 GPs. The State-wise details of the number of Gram Panchayats connected with Wi-Fi hotspots are given in Annexure-II .

The BharatNet project is targeted to be completed by March, 2019.

(c) The  District-wise  details  of  GPs  of  Gujarat,  Jharkhand,  Bihar  and  Madhya  Pradesh, where  broadband  connectivity  is  yet  to  be  provided  under  BharatNet  project,  are  given  in Annexure-III.

(d) The  funds  are  allocated/disbursed  for  the  project  as  a  whole  and  not  State-wise,  by USOF.  The  year-wise  details  of  funds  allocated/disbursed  during  the  last  three  years  under BharatNet project are given in Annexure-IV .  The details of the State-wise expenditure on the project,  as  per  the  information  received  from  BBNL,  are  given  in Annexure-V .  Further,  as approved by the Cabinet on 19.07.2017, the estimated cost of the project is Rs. 42,068 crore.

(e) The  BharatNet  project  is  of  mega  nature  as  it  involves  provision  of  broadband connectivity to all the 2.5 lakh GPs, spread across vast and expansive area of the country.

For laying OFC, the Right of Way (RoW) permissions is required from various agencies/ organizations of the State /Central Government.

However,  a  revised  strategy  has  been  approved  by  the  Cabinet  on  19.07.2017  for expediting the implementation of BharatNet project.

## State-wise details of BharatNet project

| Sr. No.   | State/UT                  |   Service Ready GPs |
|-----------|---------------------------|---------------------|
| 1         | ANDHRA PRADESH            |                1283 |
| 2         | ARUNACHAL PRADESH         |                  43 |
| 3         | ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS |                   0 |
| 4         | ASSAM                     |                1601 |
| 5         | BIHAR                     |                5872 |
| 6         | CHANDIGARH                |                  13 |
| 7         | CHHATTISGARH              |                4058 |
| 8         | DADRA & NAGAR HAVELI      |                  21 |
| 9         | DAMAN & DIU               |                  17 |
| 10        | GUJARAT                   |                5162 |
| 11        | HARYANA                   |                6186 |
| 12        | HIMACHAL PRADESH          |                 226 |
| 13        | JAMMU & KASHMIR           |                 264 |
| 14        | JHARKHAND                 |                2354 |
| 15        | KARNATAKA                 |                6111 |
| 16        | KERALA                    |                1129 |
| 17        | LAKSHADWEEP               |                   0 |
| 18        | MADHYA PRADESH            |               12693 |
| 19        | MAHARASHTRA               |               15126 |
| 20        | MANIPUR                   |                 271 |
| 21        | MEGHALAYA                 |                 122 |
| 22        | MIZORAM                   |                  30 |
| 23        | NAGALAND                  |                  88 |
| 24        | ODISHA                    |                3501 |
| 25        | PUDUCHERRY                |                 101 |
| 26        | PUNJAB                    |                7937 |
| 27        | RAJASTHAN                 |                8468 |
| 28        | SIKKIM                    |                  14 |
| 29        | TAMIL NADU                |                   0 |
| 30        | TELANGANA                 |                2047 |
| 31        | TRIPURA                   |                 527 |
| 32        | UTTAR PRADESH             |               28065 |
| 33        | UTTARAKHAND               |                1508 |
| 34        | WEST BENGAL               |                2123 |
|           | Total                     |              116961 |

Note : Delhi being an urban area, not covered under BharatNetproject

Goa: Gram Panchayats of Goa have been  connected by the State Government, hence not taken up under BharatNet Project.

## Annexure-I

Annexure-II State-wise details of Wi-Fi hotspots provided in GPs using BharatNet network

| Sr. No   | State/UT                  |   No. of GPs where Wi-Fi hotspots installed |   No. of GPs where Wi-Fi services are being provided |
|----------|---------------------------|---------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|
| 1        | ANDHRA PRADESH            |                                           0 |                                                    0 |
| 2        | ARUNACHAL PRADESH         |                                           0 |                                                    0 |
| 3        | ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS |                                           0 |                                                    0 |
| 4        | ASSAM                     |                                           0 |                                                    0 |
| 5        | BIHAR                     |                                         289 |                                                  124 |
| 6        | CHANDIGARH                |                                          12 |                                                    7 |
| 7        | CHHATTISGARH              |                                         393 |                                                  349 |
| 8        | DADRA & NAGAR HAVELI      |                                           0 |                                                    0 |
| 9        | DAMAN & DIU               |                                           0 |                                                    0 |
| 10       | GUJARAT                   |                                           0 |                                                    0 |
| 11       | HARYANA                   |                                         271 |                                                  225 |
| 12       | HIMACHAL PRADESH          |                                         165 |                                                   77 |
| 13       | JAMMU & KASHMIR           |                                           0 |                                                    0 |
| 14       | JHARKHAND                 |                                         355 |                                                  109 |
| 15       | KARNATAKA                 |                                        2209 |                                                 1495 |
| 16       | KERALA                    |                                         701 |                                                  701 |
| 17       | LAKSHADWEEP               |                                           0 |                                                    0 |
| 18       | MADHYA PRADESH            |                                        1316 |                                                  405 |
| 19       | MAHARASHTRA               |                                         871 |                                                  856 |
| 20       | MANIPUR                   |                                         161 |                                                    5 |
| 21       | MEGHALAYA                 |                                           0 |                                                    0 |
| 22       | MIZORAM                   |                                           0 |                                                    0 |
| 23       | NAGALAND                  |                                           0 |                                                    0 |
| 24       | ODISHA                    |                                          90 |                                                   68 |
| 25       | PUDUCHERRY                |                                          81 |                                                   75 |
| 26       | PUNJAB                    |                                           0 |                                                    0 |
| 27       | RAJASTHAN                 |                                        8661 |                                                 3647 |
| 28       | SIKKIM                    |                                           0 |                                                    0 |
| 29       | TAMIL NADU                |                                           0 |                                                    0 |
| 30       | TELANGANA                 |                                           0 |                                                    0 |
| 31       | TRIPURA                   |                                           0 |                                                    0 |
| 32       | UTTAR PRADESH             |                                       25211 |                                                 2461 |
| 33       | UTTARAKHAND               |                                         353 |                                                  279 |
| 34       | WEST BENGAL               |                                           0 |                                                    0 |
|          | Total                     |                                       41139 |                                                10883 |

Note : Delhi being an urban area, not covered under BharatNet project. Goa: Gram  Panchayats of Goa  have  been connected by the State Government,   hence not taken up under BharatNet Project.

## Annexure-III District-wise details of GPs of Gujarat, Jharkhand, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh where

## broadband connectivity is yet to be provided under BharatNet project

## Gujarat:

| S. No.   | District Name    |   GPs Yet to be connected |
|----------|------------------|---------------------------|
| 1        | AHMEDABAD        |                       469 |
| 2        | AMRELI           |                       246 |
| 3        | ANAND            |                        12 |
| 4        | ARAVALLI         |                       301 |
| 5        | BANAS KANTHA     |                       797 |
| 6        | BHARUCH          |                       414 |
| 8        | BHAVNAGAR        |                       309 |
| 9        | BOTAD            |                        64 |
| 10       | CHHOTA UDEPUR    |                       130 |
| 11       | DAHOD            |                       467 |
| 12       | DANG             |                        73 |
| 13       | DEVBHOOMI DWARKA |                       243 |
| 14       | GANDHINAGAR      |                        89 |
| 15       | GIR SOMNATH      |                       335 |
| 16       | JAMNAGAR         |                       415 |
| 17       | JUNAGADH         |                       499 |
| 18       | KHEDA            |                       273 |
| 19       | KUTCHCH          |                       333 |
| 20       | MAHISAGAR        |                       229 |
| 21       | MEHSANA          |                       292 |
| 23       | MORBI            |                       343 |
| 24       | NARMADA          |                       224 |
| 25       | NAVSARI          |                        76 |
| 26       | PANCH MAHALS     |                       444 |
| 27       | PATAN            |                       125 |
| 28       | PORBANDAR        |                       115 |
| 29       | RAJKOT           |                       602 |
| 30       | SABARKANTHA      |                        22 |
| 31       | SURAT            |                       576 |
| 32       | SURENDRANAGAR    |                       549 |
| 33       | TAPI             |                       288 |
| 34       | VADODARA         |                       412 |
| 35       | VALSAD           |                       298 |
|          | Total            |                     10064 |

-

-

Jharkhand:

| S. No.   | District Name   |   GPs yet to be connected |
|----------|-----------------|---------------------------|
| 1        | BOKARO          |                         4 |
| 2        | DHANBAD         |                        54 |
| 3        | DEOGHAR         |                         5 |
| 4        | EAST SINGHBHUM  |                        63 |
| 5        | HAZARIBAGH      |                         4 |
| 6        | GIRIDIH         |                        34 |
| 7        | KODERMA         |                         0 |
| 8        | LATEHAR         |                         8 |
| 9        | RAMGARH         |                         0 |
| 10       | LOHARDAGA       |                         7 |
| 11       | RANCHI          |                         4 |
| 12       | PALAMU          |                        59 |
| 13       | SAHEBGANJ       |                         4 |
| 14       | CHATRA          |                       166 |
| 15       | DUMKA           |                       216 |
| 16       | GARHWA          |                       212 |
| 17       | GODDA           |                       210 |
| 18       | GUMLA           |                       171 |
| 19       | JAMTARA         |                       124 |
| 20       | KHUNTI          |                        92 |
| 21       | PAKUR           |                       134 |
| 22       | SARAIKELA       |                       145 |
| 23       | SIMDEGA         |                       104 |
| 24       | WEST SINGHBHUM  |                       234 |
|          | Total           |                      2054 |

-

6

-

## Bihar:

| S.No.   | District Name     |   GPs yet to be Connected |
|---------|-------------------|---------------------------|
| 1       | ARARIA            |                         0 |
| 2       | ARWAL             |                         0 |
| 3       | AURANGABAD        |                       189 |
| 4       | BANKA             |                       166 |
| 5       | BEGUSARAI         |                        25 |
| 6       | BHAGALPUR         |                        66 |
| 7       | BHOJPUR           |                        86 |
| 8       | BUXAR             |                         5 |
| 9       | DARBHANGA         |                       119 |
| 10      | GAYA              |                       281 |
| 11      | GOPALGANJ         |                       158 |
| 12      | JAMUI             |                       145 |
| 13      | JEHANABAD         |                         7 |
| 14      | KAIMUR(BHABUA)    |                        35 |
| 15      | KATIHAR           |                        10 |
| 16      | KHAGARIA          |                         2 |
| 17      | KISHANGANJ        |                         6 |
| 18      | LAKHISARAI        |                        14 |
| 19      | MADHEPURA         |                        21 |
| 20      | MADHUBANI         |                       171 |
| 21      | MUNGER            |                         3 |
| 22      | MUZAFFARPUR       |                       115 |
| 23      | NALANDA           |                       131 |
| 24      | NAWADA            |                       177 |
| 25      | PASCHIM CHAMPARAN |                         8 |
| 26      | PATNA             |                        73 |
| 27      | PURNEA            |                       187 |
| 28      | PURI CHAMPARAN    |                       159 |
| 29      | ROHTAS            |                        97 |
| 30      | SAHARSA           |                        39 |
| 31      | SAMASTIPUR        |                         4 |
| 32      | SARAN             |                       181 |
| 33      | SHEKHPURA         |                         1 |
| 34      | SHEOHAR           |                         3 |
| 35      | SITAMARHI         |                        57 |
| 36      | SIWAN             |                       230 |
| 37      | SUPAUL            |                       110 |
| 38      | VAISHALI          |                        27 |
|         | Total             |                      3108 |

-

7

-

Madhya Pradesh:

| S.No.   | District Name    | GPs yet to be connected   |
|---------|------------------|---------------------------|
| 1       | AGAR MALWA       | 178                       |
| 2       | ALIRAJPUR        | 119                       |
| 3       | ANNUPPUR         | 116                       |
| 4       | ASHOKNAGAR       | 81                        |
| 5       | BALAGHAT         | 251                       |
| 6       | BARWANI          | 320                       |
| 7       | BETUL            | 281                       |
| 8       | BHIND            | 406                       |
| 9       | BHOPAL           | 0                         |
| 10      | BURHANPUR        | 89                        |
| 11      | CHHATARPUR       | 330                       |
| 12      | CHHINDWARA       | 175                       |
| 13      | DAMOH            | 92                        |
| 14      | DATIA            | 157                       |
| 15      | DEWAS            | 0                         |
| 16      | DHAR             | 370                       |
| 17      | DINDORI          | 281                       |
| 18      | GUNA             | 103                       |
| 19      | GWALIOR          | 136                       |
| 20      | HARDA            | 0                         |
| 21      | HOSHANGABAD      | 0                         |
| 22      | INDORE           | 16                        |
| 23      | JABALPUR         | 218                       |
| 24      | JHABUA           | 161                       |
| 25      | KATNI            | 291                       |
| 26      | KHANDWA          | 189                       |
| 27      | KHARGONE         | 283                       |
| 28      | MANDLA           | 263                       |
| 29      | MANDSAUR         | 196                       |
| 30      | MORENA           | 368                       |
| 31      | NARSINGHPUR      | 139                       |
| 32      | NEEMUCH          | 0                         |
| 33      | PANNA            | 160                       |
| 34      | RAISEN           | 284                       |
| 35      | RAJGARH          | 206                       |
| 36      | RATLAM           | 0                         |
| 37      | REWA             | 475                       |
| 38      | SAGAR            | 413                       |
| 39      | SATNA            | 481                       |
| 40      | SEHORE           | 2                         |
| 41      | SEONI            | 345                       |
| 42      | SHAHDOL          | 313                       |
| 43      | SHAJAPUR         | 0                         |
| 44      | SHEOPUR          | 129                       |
| 45      | SHIVPURI         | 396                       |
| 46      | SIDHI            | 248                       |
| 47      | SINGRAULI        | 114                       |
| 48      | TIKAMGARH UJJAIN | 325 354                   |
| 49 50   | UMARIYA          | 191                       |
| 51      | VIDISHA          | 341                       |
|         | Total            | 10386                     |

## Details of Funds allocated/disbursed under BharatNet project by USOF (Rs. in Crore)

| S. No.   | Year    |   Fund allocated/disbursed |
|----------|---------|----------------------------|
| 1        | 2015-16 |                     2415.1 |
| 2        | 2016-17 |                     5600   |
| 3        | 2017-18 |                     6000   |
|          | Total   |                    14015.1 |

## Details of expenditure on BharatNet project by BBNL (2015-16 to 2017-18)

| S. No.                             | State                                  |   Expenditure (in Rs) |
|------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|-----------------------|
| 1                                  | ANDAMAN&NICOBAR ISLANDS                |              20064332 |
| 2                                  | ANDHRA PRADESH                         |             847980000 |
| 3                                  | ARUNACHAL PRADESH                      |             357957150 |
| 4                                  | ASSAM                                  |            1159401786 |
| 5                                  | BIHAR                                  |            3078248918 |
| 6                                  | CHHATTISGARH                           |            6039497781 |
| 7                                  | GUJARAT, DADRA &NAGARHAVELI,DAMAN& DIU |            4006673544 |
| 8                                  | HARYANA                                |            2698223707 |
| 9                                  | HIMACHAL PRADESH                       |             546417210 |
| 10                                 | JAMMU &KASHMIR                         |             505238601 |
| 11                                 | JHARKHAND                              |            1428233267 |
| 12                                 | KARNATAKA                              |            4445525722 |
| 13                                 | KERALA                                 |             463582720 |
| 14                                 | LAKSHADWEEP                            |                     0 |
| 15                                 | MADHYAPRADESH                          |            9403849415 |
| 16                                 | MAHARASHTRA                            |           13067998259 |
| 17                                 | MANIPUR                                |             374963225 |
| 18                                 | MEGHALAYA                              |             501057053 |
| 19                                 | MIZORAM                                |             286632260 |
| 20                                 | NAGALAND                               |             412293635 |
| 21                                 | ODISHA                                 |            3155564384 |
| 22                                 | PUDUCHERRY                             |              43504353 |
| 23                                 | PUNJAB                                 |            2544096429 |
| 24                                 | RAJASTHAN                              |            4678751791 |
| 25                                 | SIKKIM                                 |             442185839 |
| 26                                 | TAMIL NADU                             |            1106410000 |
| 27                                 | TELANGANA                              |            2541799978 |
| 28                                 | TRIPURA                                |             423492757 |
| 29                                 | UTTAR PRADESH                          |            9856345744 |
| 30                                 | UTTARAKHAND                            |            1428159217 |
| 31                                 | WEST BENGAL                            |            2769845920 |
| Total                              | Total                                  |           78633994998 |
| Payment towards GPON &OFCequipment | Payment towards GPON &OFCequipment     |            8138672955 |
|                                    |                                        |           23020000000 |
| Advance to BSNL Grand Total        | Advance to BSNL Grand Total            |          109792667953 |

Note : Delhi being an urban area, not covered under BharatNet project

Goa: Gram Panchayats of Goa have been connected by the State Government,   hence not taken up under BharatNet Project.

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