Lok Sabha Question No. 319 (STARRED), answered on 2023-03-22
Subject: Broadband Connectivity under BharatNet
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Bholanath (B.P. Saroj)

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 319 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22 ND  MARCH, 2023

## BROADBAND CONNECTIVITY UNDER BHARATNET

## *319.   SHRI BHOLANATH (B.P. SAROJ):

| Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be   | pleased to state:                                                                                                                                           |
|------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| (a) been                                 | whether it is a fact that around 25 per cent of Gram Panchayats (GPs) in the country have provided with broadband connectivity under the BharatNet Project; |
| (c)                                      | the details of the time by which the targets would be achieved;                                                                                             |
| (d)                                      | the details of the number of GPs that have been covered in the country including Uttar                                                                      |
| Pradesh; and (e)                         | the details of the number of GPs that are yet to be covered under the BharatNet Project?                                                                    |
|                                          | MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)                                                     |
| (a) to (e)                               | A statement is laid on the Table of the House.                                                                                                              |

## STATEMENT TO BE LAID ON THE TABLE OF LOK SABHA IN RESPECT OF PARTS (a) TO (e) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *319/19 TH  FOR 22 ND  MARCH, 2023 REGARDING BROADBAND CONNECTIVITY UNDER BHARATNET.

(a) to (c) BharatNet project is being implemented in a phased manner to provide broadband connectivity to all Gram Panchayats (GPs) in the country. The scope of BharatNet has been extended to connect all inhabited villages beyond GPs. The timeline for completion of BharatNet is 2025.

So far, out of the 2,64,388 GPs planned under BharatNet Project 1,89,256 GPs (71.58%) have been made service ready for providing broadband connectivity.

Details of problems faced in implementation of the project are given below:

- i) BharatNet  is  a  mega  project,  widely  dispersed  across  remotest  corners  of  the  country, covering difficult terrains (Hilly/ Rocky) and also difficult to access LWE affected areas;
2. ii) Delay in obtaining Right of Way permissions from State agencies especially in forest areas.
3. iii) Pace of implementation affected due to Covid-19 pandemic induced lockdowns/restrictions.
4. iv) Delay in finalization of tenders by State Implementing Agencies in the State-led model of BharatNet Phase-II.
- v) Delay due to non-receipt of any bid in the Request for Proposal (RFP) invited on 20.07.2021 for implementation of BharatNet in balance GPs/ Villages of 16 states. Now the revised methodology and cost estimation are being worked out and it is under process.

(d) & (e) Details of number of GPs covered in BharatNet in the country and Uttar Pradesh (UP), and the GPs that are yet to be covered in BharatNet project are given in table below:

|                                    | Country   | Uttar Pradesh   |
|------------------------------------|-----------|-----------------|
| No. of GPs Planned                 | 2,64,388  | 59,365          |
| No. of GPs made Service Ready      | 1,89,256  | 41,512          |
| No. of GPs yet to be Service Ready | 75,132    | 17,853          |

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