Lok Sabha Question No. 6069 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-04-01
Subject: Rural Digital Connectivity
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Shri Prabhakar Reddy Vemireddy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 6069 TO BE ANSWERED ON 01 ST  APRIL, 2026

## RURAL DIGITAL CONNECTIVITY

## 6069.   SHRI PRABHAKAR REDDY VEMIREDDY:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

(a) the details of the present level of internet and digital connectivity in rural areas of Andhra Pradesh  including  district-wise  data  on  subscriber  base,  broadband  density,  mobile  and  fibre coverage and data consumption;

(b) the details of the  year-wise growth in rural internet and broadband subscribers in Andhra Pradesh during the last three years;

(c) the details of the funds allocated, sanctioned, released and utilised for strengthening rural digital  connectivity  in  Andhra  Pradesh  during  the  last  five  years,  district-wise  including  Nellore district;

(d) the  details  of  the  indicators  and  benchmarks  used  by  the  Government  to  assess  progress towards universal rural connectivity in the country especially in Andhra Pradesh; and

(e) whether the  Government  has identified and prioritised key rural infrastructure for connectivity in villages of the country and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a) As on 31.12.2025, total telecom subscribers count in rural areas of Andhra Pradesh is 24.12 million. Rural broadband density is 54.39%. Out of a total of 17,328 villages in Andhra Pradesh, 16,944 are covered by mobile networks whereas fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) connectivity is available in 12,817 villages. Total wireless data usage in the state is 8,44,992 Tera Bytes. Telecom subscription and data consumption information is maintained Licensed Service Area (LSA)/ State-UT wise only. The district-wise details of mobile and FTTH village coverage in the State are attached as AnnexureI.

(b) The details of year-wise growth in rural internet and broadband subscriptions in the State of Andhra Pradesh during the last three years are as below:

| Subscribers count in million and their growth percentage   | Subscribers count in million and their growth percentage   | Subscribers count in million and their growth percentage   | Subscribers count in million and their growth percentage   | Subscribers count in million and their growth percentage   | Subscribers count in million and their growth percentage   | Subscribers count in million and their growth percentage   |
|------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|
|                                                            | As on 31.03.2023                                           | Growth %                                                   | As on 31.03.2024                                           | Growth %                                                   | As on 31.03.2025                                           | Growth %                                                   |
| Internet                                                   | 16.79                                                      | 6.33                                                       | 17.89                                                      | 6.55                                                       | 17.97                                                      | 0.45                                                       |
| Broadband                                                  | 16.10                                                      | 7.98                                                       | 17.29                                                      | 7.39                                                       | 17.52                                                      | 1.33                                                       |

(c) Government has disbursed Rs. 2,404.08 crore during the last five financial years (2020-21 to 2024-25) under Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) to provide telecom services in rural and remote areas of Andhra Pradesh including in Nellore district.

(d) Government  assesses  progress  made  towards  universal  rural  connectivity  in  the  country including in Andhra Pradesh through various parameters such as mobile connectivity, internet and broadband subscription data and tele-density.

(e) Government has initiated a number of key rural infrastructure projects for improving telecom connectivity  in  the  villages  with  funding  from  DBN.  These  include  projects  related  to  mobile networks and broadband connectivity through BharatNet. Through these projects, 23,994 mobile towers have been commissioned and 2,14,921 Gram Panchayats have been made service ready till January 2026.

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## Annexure referred to reply to part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question no. 6069 answered on 1 st  April 2026 regarding 'Rural Digital Connectivity''

District wise count of villages with Mobile and FTTH coverage in Andhra Pradesh as on 28.02.2026:

|   S.No. | District                    | Total villages count   | Mobile covered villages   | FTTH covered villages   |
|---------|-----------------------------|------------------------|---------------------------|-------------------------|
|       1 | Alluri Sitharama Raju       | 3,295                  | 3,016                     | 977                     |
|       2 | Anakapalli                  | 711                    | 711                       | 660                     |
|       3 | Anantapur                   | 498                    | 498                       | 444                     |
|       4 | Annamayya                   | 462                    | 459                       | 298                     |
|       5 | Bapatla                     | 276                    | 276                       | 271                     |
|       6 | Chittoor                    | 794                    | 791                       | 499                     |
|       7 | East Godavari               | 268                    | 268                       | 262                     |
|       8 | Eluru                       | 678                    | 662                       | 596                     |
|       9 | Guntur                      | 209                    | 209                       | 202                     |
|      10 | Kakinada                    | 402                    | 398                       | 383                     |
|      11 | Konaseema                   | 310                    | 310                       | 308                     |
|      12 | Krishna                     | 489                    | 489                       | 462                     |
|      13 | Kurnool                     | 448                    | 448                       | 400                     |
|      14 | Nandyal                     | 447                    | 439                       | 391                     |
|      15 | Ntr                         | 298                    | 298                       | 290                     |
|      16 | Palnadu                     | 360                    | 360                       | 317                     |
|      17 | Parvathipuram Manyam        | 955                    | 912                       | 618                     |
|      18 | Prakasam                    | 848                    | 826                       | 752                     |
|      19 | Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore | 713                    | 712                       | 619                     |
|      20 | Sri Sathya Sai              | 450                    | 447                       | 402                     |
|      21 | Srikakulam                  | 1,411                  | 1,411                     | 1,384                   |
|      22 | Tirupati                    | 1,007                  | 1,006                     | 612                     |
|      23 | Visakhapatnam               | 87                     | 87                        | 87                      |

| 24   | Vizianagaram         | 959    | 959    | 774    |
|------|----------------------|--------|--------|--------|
| 25   | West Godavari        | 273    | 273    | 266    |
| 26   | YSR Kadapa           | 680    | 679    | 543    |
|      | Andhra Pradesh State | 17,328 | 16,944 | 12,817 |

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