Lok Sabha Question No. 2596 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-08-04
Subject: Implementation Strategy for BharatNet Project
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2596 TO BE ANSWERED ON 4 TH  AUGUST, 2021

## IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY FOR BHARATNET PROJECT

## 2596. SHRI RAM MOHAN NAIDU KINJARAPU:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) the salient features of the BharatNet project;
- (b) the  manner  in  which  recently-announced  revised  implementation  strategy  for  the BharatNet project differ from the previous strategy and the reasons for changing the implementation strategy for the project;
- (c) the details of the funds allocated, objectives and targets revised, post the change in the implementation strategy of the said project;
- (d) the details and the expected dates for completion of international bidding process under the revised strategy;
- (e) the role of States in the project;
- (f) the names of States where the BharatNet project is going to be implemented under the Public-Private  Participation  (PPP)  made  under  the  aforesaid  strategy  and  the  reason  for  not including the state of Andhra Pradesh in the said list along with the details of proposals, if any , to include the said State into the list; and
- (g) the implementing agencies for the said project at national, state, district, village level?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (g) BharatNet project is being implemented in a phased manner to provide broadband connectivity  to  all  Gram  Panchayats  (GPs)  in  the  country.  The  infrastructure  created  under BharatNet  project  is  a  national  asset,  accessible  on  a  non-discriminatory  basis  to  the  Service Providers. The Phase-I has been implemented by laying incremental underground Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) in linear topology with Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) technology. The implementation of Phase-II is by connecting GPs through an optimal mix of media (i.e. OFC, radio and satellite) and by laying new OFC is from Block to GPs.

On 30.06.2021, Union Cabinet accorded approval for a revised strategy for implementation of  BharatNet through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model in 16 States of the country covering about 3.61 lakh villages including GPs.

The recently announced PPP model differs from the previous strategy in terms of private sector  participation  in  creation,  operation  &  maintenance  and  utilisation  of  BharatNet.  The revised  strategy  is  expected  to  leverage  the  existing  BharatNet  infrastructure  and  harness  the private sector capabilities for execution, maintenance, and utilization of network for delivery of services. On 19.07.2017, the Cabinet approved estimated cost of Rs 42,068 crore for BharatNet Phase  I&II  implementation  for  connectivity  upto  GPs.  Further,  the  maximum  Viability  Gap Funding (VGF) approved for the above-mentioned PPP model is Rs. 19,041 crores. The total approved cost of BharatNet project is now Rs. 61,109 crores and its target date of completion is August,2023.

The Request for Proposal (RFP) has been floated on 20.07.2021 through international/global  bidding.  The  construction  period  of  the  project  has  been  kept    upto  18 months, and will commence within 6  months of signing of Concession Agreement.

The States  are  expected  to  play  an  important  role  in  the  success  the  of  PPP  model  by giving free Right of Way (RoW), actively utilizing the created network, etc.

The  States  presently  included  in  the  PPP  model  are  Kerala,  Karnataka,  Rajasthan, Himachal  Pradesh,  Punjab,  Haryana,  Uttar  Pradesh,  Madhya  Pradesh,  West  Bengal,  Assam, Meghalaya,  Manipur,  Mizoram,  Tripura,  Nagaland  and  Arunachal  Pradesh.  The  State  where Phase-II  of  BharatNet  is  being  implemented  under  State-led  model  which  includes  Andhra Pradesh, have not been considered under the recent Cabinet approval.

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