Lok Sabha Question No. 3854 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-12
Subject: Internet Access and Digital Infrastructure in Gram Panchayats
Ministry: PANCHAYATI RAJ
Asked by: Shri Kuldeep Indora

## GOVERNMENTOF INDIA MINISTRY OF PANCHAYATI RAJ

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3854

ANSWERED ON 12.08.2025

## INTERNETACCESSANDDIGITALINFRASTRUCTUREINGRAMPANCHAYATS

## 3854. SHRI KULDEEP INDORA:

## Will the Minister of PANCHAYATI RAJ be pleased to State:

- (a) whether the Government has assessed the current status of broadband and in digital connectivity in Gram Panchayats in the country;
- (b if so, the details thereof including the number and proportion of Gram Panchayats having functional internet access and digital infrastructure, State-wise;
- (c) whether e-Gram Swaraj portal is fully implemented in all Panchayats and integrated with other major databases;
- (d) if not, the reasons therefor and the expected time by which it is likely to be fully integrated; and
- (e) whether the Government has allocated resources for maintenance, training and technical support to ensure effective use of digital Governance tools at the panchayat level and if so, the detailsthereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR PANCHAYATI RAJ

## (PROF. S.P. SINGH BAGHEL)

- (a) & (b ) The Government is committed to strengthening digital connectivity in rural areas as part of its vision of Digital India. Accordingly, the current status of broadband and digital infrastructure at the Gram Panchayat level is being regularly monitored in coordination with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and respective State Governments.

To accelerate broadband access, the BharatNet project is being implemented by DoT in a phased manner to provide high-speed internet connectivity to all Gram Panchayats (GPs) and Traditional Local Bodies (TLBs) across the country. As per information available on BharatNet UNMS Dashboard on 07.08.2025, out of a total of 2.69 lakh GPs/TLBs, over 2.18 lakh ServiceReady Points have been made under the BharatNet project.

Further, to enhance digital infrastructure, the Union Cabinet approved the Amended BharatNet Programme on 04.08.2023. This includes upgradation of the existing networks under Phase-I and Phase-II of BharatNet and extending connectivity to the remaining uncovered GPs. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has been nominated as the Project Management Agency for this initiative. State/UT-wise details of service-ready Gram Panchayats are provided at Annexure-I , while district-wise data is publicly available on the BharatNet portal (https://bbnl.nic.in). To facilitate ease of access for Panchayats, an interface has also been made available on the eGramSwaraj portal to apply for Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) connections in service-ready areas.

Additionally, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj monitors Panchayat-level digital activity through the eGramSwaraj platform. In FY 2024 -25, over 2.55 lakh Gram Panchayats uploaded their Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs), and more than ₹61,000 crore was transferred through the eGramSwaraj -PFMS interface. For FY 2025 -26, 2.46 lakh GPs have already uploaded their GPDPs, and around 2.05 lakh GPs have facilitated the transfer of over ₹19,000 crore using the same platform. These developments reflect the Government ' s continued efforts toward improving last-mile digital access and strengthening digital governance at the grassroots level.

(c) & (d) The eGramSwaraj portal has been made operational for all Gram Panchayats across the country to bring transparency and accountability in Panchayat functioning by enabling online planning, budgeting, accounting, and payment. States have been advised to ensure entry of data on the portal. As of now, the majority of Panchayats are actively using the platform for various activities related to Panchayat functioning. In FY 2024-25, a total of 2.55 lakh Gram Panchayats across the country uploaded their Gram Panchayat Development Plans

(GPDPs), and 2.53 lakh Gram Panchayats (State wise details in Annexure -II ) have transferred over ₹61,000 crorethrough the eGramSwaraj-PFMS interface.

The portal has also been integrated with other key platforms such as the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) for real-time financial transactions, Government e-Marketplace (GeM) for procurement, BharatNet/BSNL for internet connectivity tracking, and databases of other Ministries for sharing scheme beneficiary information.

The Ministry is collaborating with State Governments to improve data entry and platform adoption under the e-Panchayat MMP. Enhancements are continually made based on user feedback, including functionality upgrades in e-GramSwaraj and capacity-building efforts for Panchayat officials. While all States are working towards implementing the e-Panchayat MMP based on their available resources, varying levels of preparedness among Panchayats have resulted in States being at different stages of adoption.

(e) Yes, Sir. Under the e-Panchayat Mission Mode Project (MMP), the Ministry of Panchayati Raj has taken several initiatives to strengthen digital governance at the Panchayat level. While no direct funds are provided to the States under e-Panchayat MMP, resources are allocated through the National Informatics Centre Services Inc. (NICSI) for central-level support. These include activities related to the development, maintenance, and enhancement of e-Panchayat applications such as eGramSwaraj.

In addition, financial assistance is provided to States/UTs under the centrally sponsored scheme of Revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA). Under RGSA, support is extended for:

-  Capacity building and training of Panchayat functionaries on e-Governance tools;
-  Technical manpower for handholding and field-level ICT support;
-  Provision of IT infrastructure and internet connectivity at Panchayat offices;
-  Workshops and IEC activities to promote digital adoption among Panchayats.

These measures are aimed at empowering Panchayati Raj Institutions to effectively use digital platforms for planning, monitoring, accounting, and overall governance functions.

***

## Annexure-I

Annexure-I referred to in reply to part (a) & (b) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3854 answered on 12.08.2025 regarding 'Internet Access and Digital Infrastructure in Gram Panchayats'.

State wise details service ready points for providing Broadband connections.

|   S.No. | States/Uts                             |   Total no. of GPs |   No. of Service Ready Points* |
|---------|----------------------------------------|--------------------|--------------------------------|
|       1 | ANDAMANANDNICOBAR ISLANDS              |                 70 |                             81 |
|       2 | ANDHRAPRADESH                          |              13327 |                          12972 |
|       3 | ARUNACHALPRADESH                       |               2108 |                           1145 |
|       4 | ASSAM                                  |               2665 |                           1634 |
|       5 | BIHAR                                  |               8054 |                           8860 |
|       6 | CHHATTISGARH                           |              11623 |                           9759 |
|       7 | GOA                                    |                191 |                              0 |
|       8 | GUJARAT                                |              14674 |                          14563 |
|       9 | HARYANA                                |               6225 |                           6204 |
|      10 | HIMACHALPRADESH                        |               3615 |                            416 |
|      11 | JAMMUANDKASHMIR                        |               4291 |                           1115 |
|      12 | JHARKHAND                              |               4345 |                           4649 |
|      13 | KARNATAKA                              |               5948 |                           6251 |
|      14 | KERALA                                 |                941 |                           1130 |
|      15 | LADAKH                                 |                193 |                            193 |
|      16 | LAKSHADWEEP                            |                 10 |                              9 |
|      17 | MADHYAPRADESH                          |              23011 |                          18106 |
|      18 | MAHARASHTRA                            |              27952 |                          24778 |
|      19 | MANIPUR                                |               3812 |                           1485 |
|      20 | MEGHALAYA                              |               6838 |                            697 |
|      21 | MIZORAM                                |                843 |                            539 |
|      22 | NAGALAND                               |               1315 |                            236 |
|      23 | ODISHA                                 |               6794 |                           7099 |
|      24 | PUDUCHERRY                             |                108 |                            101 |
|      25 | PUNJAB                                 |              13236 |                          12807 |
|      26 | RAJASTHAN                              |              11193 |                           8997 |
|      27 | SIKKIM                                 |                199 |                             54 |
|      28 | TAMILNADU                              |              12525 |                          10298 |
|      29 | TELANGANA                              |              12860 |                          10926 |
|      30 | THEDADRAANDNAGAR HAVELIANDDAMANAND DIU |                 42 |                             41 |

| S.No.   | States/Uts   |   Total no. of GPs |   No. of Service Ready Points* |
|---------|--------------|--------------------|--------------------------------|
| 31      | TRIPURA      |               1194 |                            772 |
| 32      | UTTARPRADESH |              57691 |                          47451 |
| 33      | UTTARAKHAND  |               7788 |                           2021 |
| 34      | WESTBENGAL   |               3339 |                           2958 |
|         | Total        |             269020 |                         218347 |

## Annexure-II

Annexure referred to in reply to part (c) & (d) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3854 answered on 12.08.2025 regarding 'Internet Access and Digital Infrastructure in Gram Panchayats'.

## Adoption of eGramSwaraj at Gram Panchayat level during FY 2024-25

|   S.No | State Name        |   Total Number of Village Panchayats& Equivalent |   Village Panchayat onboard |   Village Panchayats& Equivalent With Online Payment Total Number Block |   of Panchayats& Equivalent |   Block Panchayat onboard |   Block Panchayats With Online Payment |   Total Number of Zila Panchayats &Equivalent |   Zila Panchayat onboard |   Zila Panchayats With Online Payment |
|--------|-------------------|--------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------|---------------------------|----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|--------------------------|---------------------------------------|
|      1 | ANDHRAPRADESH     |                                            13328 |                       13320 |                                                                   13002 |                         660 |                       660 |                                    645 |                                            13 |                       13 |                                    13 |
|      2 | ARUNACHAL PRADESH |                                             2108 |                        2108 |                                                                     426 |                           0 |                         0 |                                      0 |                                            27 |                       26 |                                    11 |
|      3 | ASSAM             |                                             2662 |                        2197 |                                                                    2183 |                         191 |                       191 |                                    191 |                                            30 |                       29 |                                    27 |
|      4 | BIHAR             |                                             8054 |                        8054 |                                                                    8046 |                         534 |                       534 |                                    531 |                                            38 |                       38 |                                    38 |
|      5 | CHHATTISGARH      |                                            11701 |                       11684 |                                                                   11540 |                         146 |                       146 |                                    146 |                                            33 |                       33 |                                    27 |
|      6 | GOA               |                                              191 |                         191 |                                                                      97 |                           0 |                         0 |                                      0 |                                             2 |                        2 |                                     2 |
|      7 | GUJARAT           |                                            14656 |                       14645 |                                                                   14006 |                         248 |                       248 |                                    248 |                                            33 |                       33 |                                    33 |
|      8 | HARYANA           |                                             6226 |                        6226 |                                                                    5980 |                         143 |                       143 |                                    134 |                                            22 |                       22 |                                    22 |
|      9 | HIMACHAL PRADESH  |                                             3615 |                        3615 |                                                                    3557 |                          81 |                        81 |                                     81 |                                            12 |                       12 |                                    12 |
|     10 | JHARKHAND         |                                             4345 |                        4345 |                                                                    4335 |                         264 |                       264 |                                    263 |                                            24 |                       24 |                                    24 |
|     11 | KARNATAKA         |                                             5954 |                        5954 |                                                                    5942 |                         238 |                       232 |                                    127 |                                            31 |                       31 |                                    29 |
|     12 | KERALA            |                                              941 |                         941 |                                                                     941 |                         152 |                       152 |                                    152 |                                            14 |                       14 |                                    14 |
|     13 | MADHYAPRADESH     |                                            23011 |                       23011 |                                                                   22987 |                         313 |                       313 |                                    311 |                                            52 |                       52 |                                    52 |
|     14 | MAHARASHTRA       |                                            27955 |                       27940 |                                                                   27025 |                         351 |                       351 |                                    312 |                                            34 |                       34 |                                    34 |
|     15 | MANIPUR           |                                             3812 |                         161 |                                                                     125 |                           0 |                         0 |                                      0 |                                            12 |                        6 |                                     4 |
|     16 | MEGHALAYA         |                                             6817 |                           0 |                                                                       0 |                        2241 |                         0 |                                      0 |                                             3 |                        3 |                                     0 |
|     17 | MIZORAM           |                                              842 |                         842 |                                                                     832 |                           0 |                         0 |                                      0 |                                             0 |                        0 |                                     0 |

| S.No   | State Name    |   Total Number of Village Panchayats& Equivalent |   Village Panchayat onboard |   Village Panchayats& Equivalent With Online Payment Total Number of |   Block Panchayats& Equivalent |   Block Panchayat onboard |   Block Panchayats With Online Payment |   Total Number of Zila Panchayats &Equivalent |   Zila Panchayat onboard |   Zila Panchayats With Online Payment |
|--------|---------------|--------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------|---------------------------|----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|--------------------------|---------------------------------------|
| 18     | NAGALAND      |                                             1289 |                         977 |                                                                    0 |                              0 |                         0 |                                      0 |                                             0 |                        0 |                                     0 |
| 19     | ODISHA        |                                             6794 |                        6794 |                                                                 6794 |                            314 |                       314 |                                    314 |                                            30 |                       30 |                                    30 |
| 20     | PUNJAB        |                                            13237 |                       13234 |                                                                10240 |                            153 |                       151 |                                    123 |                                            23 |                       22 |                                    19 |
| 21     | RAJASTHAN     |                                            11222 |                       11219 |                                                                10905 |                            361 |                       353 |                                    351 |                                            33 |                       33 |                                    33 |
| 22     | SIKKIM        |                                              199 |                         199 |                                                                  195 |                              0 |                         0 |                                      0 |                                             6 |                        6 |                                     6 |
| 23     | TAMILNADU     |                                            12525 |                       12525 |                                                                12520 |                            388 |                       388 |                                    388 |                                            36 |                       36 |                                    36 |
| 24     | TELANGANA     |                                            12991 |                       12768 |                                                                12648 |                            572 |                       540 |                                    514 |                                            32 |                       32 |                                    32 |
| 25     | TRIPURA       |                                             1194 |                        1194 |                                                                 1175 |                             75 |                        75 |                                     75 |                                             9 |                        9 |                                     9 |
| 26     | UTTARAKHAND   |                                             7795 |                        7795 |                                                                 7757 |                             95 |                        95 |                                     95 |                                            13 |                       13 |                                    13 |
| 27     | UTTAR PRADESH |                                            57691 |                       57691 |                                                                57638 |                            826 |                       826 |                                    819 |                                            75 |                       75 |                                    75 |
| 28     | WEST BENGAL   |                                             3339 |                        3339 |                                                                 3339 |                            345 |                       345 |                                    345 |                                            22 |                       21 |                                    21 |
| Total  | Total         |                                           264494 |                      252969 |                                                               244235 |                           8691 |                      6402 |                                   6165 |                                           659 |                      649 |                                   616 |