Lok Sabha Question No. 2723 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-10
Subject: BharatNet Project in Maharashtra
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Bhavana Gawali (Patil), Krupal Balaji Tumane

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2723 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10 TH  MARCH, 2021

## BHARATNET PROJECT IN MAHARASHTRA

## †2723. SHRIMATI BHAVANA PUNDALIKRAO GAWALI: SHRI KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) the  present  status  of  phase-II  BharatNet  project  in  various  States  in  the  country  including Maharashtra;
- (b) whether  the  Government  of  Maharashtra  has  submitted  any  proposal  to  Central  Government seeking additional allocation as per tender cost, Multi Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) needs and search for extra BOs under the said project;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and the decision taken by the Government thereon;
- (d) whether the Central Government has approved the proposal and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor along with the time by which the said proposal is likely to be approved; and
- (e) the  steps  being  taken  by  the  Government  for  the  extension  of  phase-II  of  BharatNet  project  in various States in the country particularly in Maharashtra?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS, EDUCATION AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI SANJAY DHOTRE)

- (a) BharatNet project is being implemented in a phased manner to provide broadband connectivity to all  the  Gram  Panchayats  (approx.  2,50,000)  in  the  country,  including  Maharashtra.  Bharat  Broadband Network Limited (BBNL) is the Executing Agency for the project.

BharatNet Phase-II is being implemented under State-led Model, Private Sector and CPSU Model. In Maharashtra, the Phase-II is being implemented under State-led model. The State/UT-wise details of the Service Ready GPs under BharatNet Phase-II are given in Annexure-I .

(b) to (d) The  Government  of  Maharashtra  had  submitted  a  proposal  for  revised  architecture, including  Multi-Protocol  Label  Switching  (MPLS)  in  October,  2018  for  a  CAPEX  amount  of  Rs.  3789 crore.

The  proposal  was  examined  and  as  the  Cabinet  approval  is  for  linear  architecture  and  GPON technology, the Telecom Commission(now known as Digital Communications Commission) in its meeting held on 17.10.2018, approved revised CAPEX of Rs. 2980.65crore. The additional cost towards enhanced network architecture and technology, beyond Rs. 2980.65crore, is to be borne by the State Government of Maharashtra.

- (e) The BharatNet project was envisaged to be completed by August 2021. However, this time will now be extended as the pace of completion is affected by lockdown and restrictions on movement imposed by the various Governments due to COVID-19.

## Annexure-I

Annexure referred to in Part (a) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2723 for answer on 10.03.2021 State/UT-wise status of Service Ready GPs (including BHQs) under BharatNet Phase-II

| S. No.   | State/UT                           |   Service Ready GPs (Including BHQs) |
|----------|------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh                     |                                   27 |
| 2        | Arunachal Pradesh                  |                                  533 |
| 3        | Andaman &Nicobar Islands           |                                    0 |
| 4        | Assam                              |                                    0 |
| 5        | Bihar                              |                                 2818 |
| 6        | Chandigarh                         |                                    0 |
| 7        | Chhattisgarh                       |                                 3134 |
| 8        | Dadra &Nagar Haveli and Daman &Diu |                                    0 |
| 9        | Gujarat                            |                                 7019 |
| 10       | Haryana                            |                                    0 |
| 11       | Himachal Pradesh                   |                                  118 |
| 12       | Ladakh                             |                                  186 |
| 13       | Jammu &Kashmir                     |                                  595 |
| 14       | Jharkhand                          |                                  997 |
| 15       | Karnataka                          |                                    0 |
| 16       | Kerala                             |                                    0 |
| 17       | Lakshadweep                        |                                    0 |
| 18       | Madhya Pradesh                     |                                 2251 |
| 19       | Maharashtra                        |                                 3619 |
| 20       | Manipur                            |                                 1095 |
| 21       | Mizoram                            |                                  327 |
| 22       | Meghalaya                          |                                  372 |
| 23       | Nagaland                           |                                   92 |
| 24       | Odisha                             |                                 1681 |
| 25       | Puducherry                         |                                    0 |
| 26       | Punjab                             |                                 4755 |
| 27       | Rajasthan                          |                                   30 |
| 28       | Sikkim                             |                                    0 |
| 29       | Tamil Nadu                         |                                    0 |
| 30       | Telangana                          |                                    0 |
| 31       | Tripura                            |                                  137 |
| 32       | Uttar Pradesh                      |                                 2987 |
| 33       | Uttarakhand                        |                                    0 |
| 34       | West Bengal                        |                                    0 |
| Total    | Total                              |                                32773 |

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