Lok Sabha Question No. 4176 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-26
Subject: BSNL Optical Fiber Network
Ministry: COMMUNICATION
Asked by: Shri Sanjay Dina Patil, Prof. Varsha Eknath Gaikwad, Shri Bhaskar Murlidhar Bhagare, Shri Nilesh Dnyandev Lanke, Shri Mohite Patil Dhairyasheel Rajsinh, Dr. Amol Ramsing Kolhe, Smt. Supriya Sule

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4176 TO BE ANSWERED ON 26 TH  MARCH, 2025

## BSNL OPTICAL FIBER NETWORK

## 4176.   SHRI SANJAY DINA PATIL:

DR. AMOL RAMSING KOLHE: SHRI NILESH DNYANDEV LANKE: SHRI MOHITE PATIL DHAIRYASHEEL RAJSINH: SHRI BHASKAR MURLIDHAR BHAGARE: PROF. VARSHA EKNATH GAIKWAD: SMT. SUPRIYA SULE:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATION be pleased to state:

(a) the  data  on  Gram  Panchayats  connected  via  the  Optical  Fiber  Network,  highlighting  the progress in rural and remote regions, State-wise;

(b) the details of the States having the highest and lowest connectivity rates through BSNL's Optical Fiber Network;

(c) the targets for connecting all Gram Panchayats in the country through Optical Fiber and by when the Government plans to achieve them;

(d) whether there has been any delay in meeting the timeline for the completion of this project and if so, the reasons therefor;

(e) the  details  of  the  total  expenditure  incurred  by  BSNL  for  the  Optical  Fiber  Network connectivity to Gram Panchayats so far;

(f) the challenges encountered in connecting Gram Panchayats in remote, hilly and tribal areas to the Optical Fiber Network; and

(g) the steps being taken to overcome these challenges and expedite connectivity?

## ANSWER

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

( a ) to ( g ) The details of Gram Panchayats (GPs) planned and service ready through optical fiber on BharatNet (State wise) is attached as Annexure -I . The remaining GPs and villages on demand basis are planned to be covered under Amended BharatNet Program approved by the Union Cabinet on 04.08.2023.

BSNL has incurred expenditure of Rs . 11,629 crore for Optical Fiber connectivity to GPs under BharatNet .

The challenges encountered in connecting GPs in remote, hilly and tribal areas to Optical Fiber Network include inaccessible areas, dense forest, delay in Right of Way ( ROW ) permissions and poor road infrastructure etc . To overcome these challenges regular meetings are conducted to monitor  expeditious  completion  of  the  project,  resolution  of  pending  ROW  issues,  uses  of  All -dielectric Self -Supporting Optical Fiber Cable ( ADSS OFC ) and usage of alternate technology like VSAT etc .

| S.No.   | State               | No. of GPs planned   | Service ready on OFC   | Service ready GPs on Satellite   | Total Service ready (OFC + Satellite)   |   %Rate of GPs connectivity through OFC under BharatNet |
|---------|---------------------|----------------------|------------------------|----------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|
| 1       | Assam               | 2,665                | 1,502                  | 5                                | 1,507                                   |                                                   56.36 |
| 2       | Bihar               | 8,405                | 8,324                  | 16                               | 8,340                                   |                                                   99.04 |
| 3       | Chhattisgarh        | 11,711               | 9,681                  | 14                               | 9,695                                   |                                                   82.67 |
| 4       | Haryana             | 6,256                | 6,082                  | 0                                | 6,082                                   |                                                   97.22 |
| 5       | Jammu &Kashmir      | 4,299                | 413                    | 688                              | 1,101                                   |                                                    9.61 |
| 6       | Karnataka           | 6,090                | 6,084                  | 0                                | 6,084                                   |                                                   99.9  |
| 7       | Kerala              | 978                  | 977                    | 1                                | 978                                     |                                                   99.9  |
| 8       | Madhya Pradesh      | 22,858               | 17,812                 | 38                               | 17,850                                  |                                                   77.92 |
| 9       | Maharashtra         | 27,939               | 24,569                 | 6                                | 24,575                                  |                                                   87.94 |
| 10      | Punjab              | 13,337               | 12,664                 | 4                                | 12,668                                  |                                                   94.95 |
| 11      | Rajasthan           | 11,352               | 8,746                  | 30                               | 8,776                                   |                                                   77.04 |
| 12      | Uttar Pradesh (E)   | 43,072               | 34,263                 | 11                               | 34,274                                  |                                                   79.55 |
| 13      | Uttar Pradesh (W)   | 16,218               | 12,449                 | 23                               | 12,472                                  |                                                   76.76 |
| 14      | Uttarakhand         | 7,937                | 1,819                  | 172                              | 1,991                                   |                                                   22.92 |
| 15      | West Bengal         | 3,340                | 2,674                  | 3                                | 2,677                                   |                                                   80.06 |
| 16      | Sikkim              | 185                  | 26                     | 9                                | 35                                      |                                                   14.05 |
| 17      | Chandigarh          | 12                   | 12                     | 0                                | 12                                      |                                                  100    |
| 18      | Lakshadweep         | 10                   | 0                      | 9                                | 9                                       |                                                    0    |
| 19      | Arunachal Pradesh   | 1,959                | 77                     | 1,047                            | 1,124                                   |                                                    3.93 |
| 20      | Nagaland            | 1,007                | 116                    | 120                              | 236                                     |                                                   11.52 |
| 21      | Manipur             | 2,936                | 315                    | 1,160                            | 1,475                                   |                                                   10.73 |
| 22      | Mizoram             | 784                  | 41                     | 499                              | 540                                     |                                                    5.23 |
| 23      | Tripura             | 1,179                | 598                    | 142                              | 740                                     |                                                   50.72 |
| 24      | Meghalaya           | 1,857                | 122                    | 576                              | 698                                     |                                                    6.57 |
| 25      | Gujarat             | 14,324               | 14,294                 | 26                               | 14,320                                  |                                                   99.79 |
| 26      | Daman& Diu          | 18                   | 18                     | 0                                | 18                                      |                                                  100    |
| 27      | Dadra &Nagar Haveli | 20                   | 20                     | 0                                | 20                                      |                                                  100    |
| 28      | Puducherry          | 110                  | 98                     | 0                                | 98                                      |                                                   89.09 |
| 29      | Andhra Pradesh      | 13,481               | 12,935                 | 20                               | 12,955                                  |                                                   95.95 |
| 30      | Telangana           | 12,865               | 10,825                 | 0                                | 10,825                                  |                                                   84.14 |
| 31      | Odisha              | 6,798                | 6,741                  | 44                               | 6,785                                   |                                                   99.16 |
| 32      | Jharkhand           | 4,416                | 4,376                  | 14                               | 4,390                                   |                                                   99.09 |
| 33      | Himachal Pradesh    | 3,615                | 252                    | 158                              | 410                                     |                                                    6.97 |
| 34      | Ladakh              | 193                  | 0                      | 193                              | 193                                     |                                                    0    |
| 35      | Goa                 | 191                  | 0                      | 0                                | 0                                       |                                                    0    |
| 36      | Tamil Nadu          | 12,525               | 10,298                 | 0                                | 10,298                                  |                                                   82.22 |
| 37      | Andaman& Nicobar    | 72                   | 68                     | 4                                | 72                                      |                                                   94.44 |
|         | Total               | 2,65,014             | 2,09,291               | 5,032                            | 2,14,323                                |                                                   78.97 |

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