Lok Sabha Question No. 3310 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-23
Subject: BharatNet Project
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Jual Oram, Chandeshwar Prasad

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3310 TO BE ANSWERED ON 23 RD  MARCH, 2022

## BHARATNET PROJECT

3310.   SHRI JUAL ORAM: SHRI CHANDESHWAR PRASAD:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether BharatNet is a project envisaged by the Government to digitally connect all the Gram Panchayats (GPs)and villages of India by way of laying Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) upto GP level;
- (b) if so, whether there is a plan to connect all the GPs in Bihar and Odisha;
- (c) if so, the number of broadband connections working in Odisha and the action being taken for providing broadband facility to all GPs under Phase-I and II;
- (d) the steps being taken to provide mobile connectivity in uncovered villages; and
- (e) whether there is any proposal received from State Governments of Odisha and Bihar in this regard and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS (SHRI DEVUSINH CHAUHAN)

(a) & (b) BharatNet  project  is  implemented  in  a  phased  manner  to  provide  broadband connectivity through an optimal mix of media (OFC/Radio/Satellite) to all the Gram Panchayats (GPs)  in  the  country,  including  Bihar  and  Odisha.  The  scope  of  BharatNet  has  been  recently extended up to all inhabited villages beyond GPs in the country, including Bihar and Odisha.

(c) Phase-II  of  BharatNet  is  implemented  in  Odisha  in  State-led  model  through  the  State Government under which, 2786 GPs have been made Service Ready out of 2946 planned GPs. Further, 22 GPs have been made Service Ready on Satellite media out of 43 planned GPs. Under Phase-I,  a  total  number  of  3810  GPs  were  taken  up  for  implementation  through  Power  Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL), out of which 3809 GPs have been made Service Ready. In total, 6617 GPs have been made Service Ready in Odisha, as on 28.02.2022.

The work of providing broadband connections (Fibre to the home connections) in Phase-I GPs  is  implemented  with  funding  from  Universal  Service  Obligation  Fund  (USOF).  As  on 28.02.2022,  total  7487  FTTH  connections  are  commissioned  in  Phase-I  GPs.  Further,  Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL), the Executing Agency for BharatNet project, has signed 74 Agreements with Service Providers for providing broadband services across various States by utilizing  BharatNet  Phase-I  network  in  the  country.  Out  of  these  Agreements,  four  are  for providing services on pan-India basis (including in Odisha).

BharatNet  Phase-II  in  Odisha  is  implemented  by  the  State  Government,  which  is  also responsible for its utilization. As on 28.02.2022, 1740 broadband connections are commissioned in Phase-II GPs.

(d) & (e) Mobile  connectivity  is  extended  by  the  Government  and  the  Telecom  Service Providers  (TSPs)  in  a  phased  manner  in  the  uncovered  villages  of  the  country.  For  providing mobile services in uncovered villages of the country, the Government, with funding from USOF, has  approved  Comprehensive  Telecom  Development  Plan  for  NER,  Left  Wing  Extremism (LWE) affected area schemes, Aspirational Districts Schemes, Comprehensive Telecom development plan for Islands, etc. However, no specific proposal has been received from Bihar and Odisha State Governments in this regard.

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