Lok Sabha Question No. 5195 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-04-02
Subject: National Broadband Mission in Tamil Nadu
Ministry: COMMUNICATION
Asked by: Shri Navaskani K, Shri Malaiyarasan D, Shri C N Annadurai

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5195 TO BE ANSWERED ON 2 ND  APRIL, 2025

## NATIONAL BROADBAND MISSION IN TAMIL NADU

## 5195.   SHRI C N ANNADURAI: SHRI NAVASKANI K: SHRI MALAIYARASAN D:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATION be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has taken any steps to implement the National Broadband Mission (NBM) in the State of Tamil Nadu and if so, the details of the progress made under the NBM since its launch;

- (b) the total length of optical fiber cables laid under the National Broadband Mission in the State of Tamil Nadu;

(c) the number of villages and Gram Panchayats connected through broadband services under the Mission and the challenges forced in implementation in the State of Tamil Nadu particularly in Kallakurichi Parliamentary Constituency;

- (d) the timeline set for achieving 100% broadband connectivity in rural and urban areas;
- (e) the  steps  taken  to  address  the  challenges  in  laying  fiber-optic  cables  in  difficult  terrains including hilly and remote areas;
- (f) the details of broadband penetration in tribal and remote regions under the NBM;
- (g) the measures being taken to ensure that the rural and remote areas in Tamil Nadu benefit equally from the broadband expansion under this Mission;
- (h) whether any special schemes have been implemented to improve connectivity in such areas;
- (i) whether the Government has allocated sufficient funds for the successful implementation of NBM in the State of Tamil Nadu and the total amount sanctioned in this regard; and
- (j) the timelines for achieving 100% connectivity in tribal belts?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT (DR. PEMMASANI CHANDRA SEKHAR)

(a) to (j) The  Government  has  taken  the  following  key  actions  to  improve  broadband connectivity in rural areas and bridge the digital divide by implementing the National Broadband Mission (NBM) in the country, including the state of Tamil Nadu:

1. Launched the Gati Shakti Sanchar Portal on 14th May 2022, thus streamlining Right of Way (RoW) permissions for Optical Fiber Cable (OFC) laying and telecom tower installation. The Telecommunications Act, 2023 and the Telecommunications (Right of Way) Rules 2024, further streamlined RoW processes.
2. Further, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is ensuring stable broadband connectivity in rural areas (including tribal belts) and bridging the digital divide with funding from Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN). Key initiatives include:
- a. The Amended BharatNet project providing broadband to Gram Panchayats (GPs) and villages (on demand).
- b. Various schemes for high-speed internet and mobile services (including 4G) in remote  areas,  such  as  the  North-East,  Islands,  LWE(Left-Wing  Extremism)affected regions, Aspirational Districts, and border villages.
- c. Submarine  optical  fiber  cables  were  laid  between  Chennai  and  Andaman  & Nicobar and Kochi and Lakshadweep for faster internet connectivity.

Under the state-led model  in  Tamil  Nadu,  the cost  of  work  awarded  is Rs.1544.44  crore (exclusive of taxes), out of which Rs.1093.74 crore has been utilized up to 28th Feb 2025. As of 24th Feb 2025, 10,298 GPs out of 12,524 have been made service-ready under the BharatNet Project in Tamil  Nadu . 53,511  route  kilometres  of  Optical  Fibre  Cable  (OFC)  have  been  laid  (as  of  31 st December 2024) under the BharatNet Project in Tamil Nadu. As of Feb 2025, 12,53,997 Fiber to the home (FTTH) connections have been provided through BharatNet.

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