Lok Sabha Question No. 4421 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-20
Subject: National Broadband Mission in Rural Areas in Tamil Nadu
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Shri Mani A

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4421 ANSWERED ON 20 TH  AUGUST, 2025

## NATIONAL BROADBAND MISSION IN RURAL AREAS IN TAMIL NADU

## 4421.   SHRI MANI A:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is implementing the National Broadband Mission (NBM) with the objective of expanding high-speed internet and digital infrastructure across the country particularly in rural and remote areas of Tamil Nadu including Dharmapuri district;

(b) if  so,  the  details  of  the  progress  made  under  the  NBM  in  Tamil  Nadu  especially  in Dharmapuri Lok Sabha Constituency;

(c) whether any timelines have been set for universal broadband coverage in all villages and hamlets of Dharmapuri under the NBM and if so, the expected date of completion; and

(d) the steps taken by the Government to bridge the digital divide in backward and tribal blocks of Dharmapuri including the provision of affordable internet, digital devices and localised digital content?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (d)    The Government has taken the following key actions to improve internet connectivity in rural  &  remote  areas  (Including  backward  and  tribal  blocks)  and  bridge  the  digital  divide  by implementing the National Broadband Mission (NBM) in the country, including the state of Tamil Nadu:

- i. Launched the Centralized Right of Way (RoW) Portal on May 14, 2022, thus facilitating the streamlining of the RoW permissions for the deployment of telecom infrastructure viz. Optical Fiber Cable (OFC) laying and telecom tower installation.
- ii. Processes to obtain RoW permissions and applicable charges were further made uniform through Telecommunications (Right of Way) Rules 2024 under 'The Telecommunications Act, 2023'. The rules are effective from January 01, 2025. The rules are  further  streamlining  and  expediting  the  telecom  infrastructure  deployment  in  the country.

Further, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is ensuring stable internet connectivity and bridging the digital divide through the Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN). Key initiatives include:

- i. The BharatNet project providing broadband to Gram Panchayats (GPs) and villages (on demand).

- ii. Submarine  optical  fiber  cables  were  laid  between  Chennai  and  Andaman  &  Nicobar (2312 km) and Kochi and Lakshadweep (1869 km), enabling faster internet connectivity.
- iii. 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

Under the state-led model in Tamil Nadu, as on 11th August 2025, a total of 11,758 Gram Panchayats  (GPs)  out  of  12,525  have  been  made  service-ready  and  around  57,000  route  KM  of Optical  Fibre  Cable  (OFC)  laid  under  the  BharatNet  Project  in  Tamil  Nadu.  In  Dharmapuri constituency, 240 GPs out of total 251 have been made service-ready.

As on 31st July 2025, out of 16,488 villages, 16,483 have mobile network coverage in Tamil Nadu  and  479  villages  out  of  487  villages  of  Dharmapuri  constituency  are  having  3G/4G/5G Coverage.

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