Lok Sabha Question No. 45 (STARRED), answered on 2022-07-20
Subject: Broadband Connections under BharatNet
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Brijendra Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 45 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20 TH  JULY, 2022

## BROADBAND CONNECTIONS UNDER BHARATNET

## *45. SHRI BRIJENDRA SINGH:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  there  is  a  model  in  place  for  operation,  utilization  and  maintenance  of  the broadband connections successfully installed under the BharatNet project;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the number of Gram Panchayats which have successfully received broadband connections under the BharatNet project as of June 2022; and
- (d) the  expected  date  of  completion  of  this  project  including  an  estimate  for  the  State  of Haryana?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS & ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

- (a) to (d) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT TO BE LAID ON THE TABLE OF THE LOK SABHA IN RESPECT OF PARTS (a) TO (d) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 45 FOR 20 TH  JULY, 2022 REGARDING 'BROADBAND CONNECTIONS UNDER BHARATNET'.

(a) & (b) BharatNet  project  is  implemented  in  a  phased  manner  to  provide  broadband connectivity to all Gram Panchayats (GPs) of the country. As on 04.07.2022, total 1,77,550 GPs have been made Service Ready under the BharatNet project in the country.

The infrastructure created under BharatNet project is a national asset, accessible on a nondiscriminatory basis to the Service Providers, and the same can be utilized to provide broadband services, such as Wi-Fi Hotspots, Fibre to the Home (FTTH) connections, leased lines, dark fibre, backhaul to mobile towers, etc. The Operations and Maintenance (O&M) of such network, created for providing the services, is done by the respective Service Providers.

BharatNet network is monitored through centralised Network Operating Centre (NOC) and its reports are monitored on a regular basis. The Service Level Agreement (SLA) based O&M for BharatNet Phase-I, through professional agencies, has been entrusted to Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL). For the O&M of Phase-II of BharatNet, the respective Implementing Agencies are responsible for life time maintenance of the network.

Further, the following steps have been taken for effective utilization of BharatNet:

-  Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL), the Executing Agency for BharatNet project, has signed about 100 Agreements with Service Providers for utilizing BharatNet Phase-I network in the country.
-  BSNL  has  developed  Franchisee  Management  System  (FMS)  for  on  boarding  the franchisees and revenue share partners of BSNL/BBNL and over 700 franchisees have been inducted so far for utilisation of BharatNet.
-  For the Phase-II of BharatNet, the respective Implementing Agencies are making separate efforts for the utilization of the network.
- (c) As of June 2022, FTTH connections have been provided in 81,297 GPs.

(d) The scope of BharatNet project has been recently extended up to all inhabited villages beyond  GPs  in  the  country,  with  the  completion  timeline  as  2025,  including  for  the  State  of Haryana.

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