New Delhi: The Central Government has approved financial support of ₹3,189 crore for the implementation of the Amended BharatNet Programme in Telangana, aiming to strengthen rural internet connectivity and expand access to digital services across the state.
An agreement for implementing the programme was signed on Friday at Sanchar Bhawan, New Delhi, between Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), the Government of Telangana, Telangana Rural Internet Infrastructure Corporation Limited (TRIICL), Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Telangana Fiber Grid Corporation Limited (T-Fiber).
According to the Press Information Bureau (PIB), the project will cover a total of 12,769 Gram Panchayats across Telangana and is expected to facilitate approximately three lakh rural home fibre connections with subsidy support from the Central Government.
12,769 Gram Panchayats to Be Covered
The programme includes three major components:
- 1,946 Gram Panchayats: Existing Phase I network infrastructure will be upgraded from linear to ring topology to improve network reliability.
- 10,787 Gram Panchayats: Coverage under Phase II of BharatNet.
- 36 Gram Panchayats: Newly created Gram Panchayats will also be included.
The upgrade to ring topology is expected to improve network resilience by providing alternative connectivity routes if a section of the network experiences a disruption.
TRIICL to Implement the Programme
- The project will be implemented through Telangana Rural Internet Infrastructure Corporation Limited (TRIICL) under a state-led model.
- The agreement was signed in the presence of Shyamal Misra, Administrator of Digital Bharat Nidhi. Other officials attending the event included Anudeep Durishetty, Joint Secretary, IT and Electronics Department, Government of Telangana; Papa Sudhakara Rao, Director (Enterprise Business), BSNL; Dinesh Kumar Garg, Deputy Director General, Department of Telecommunications; and Venu Prasad Panneeru of T-Fiber and TRIICL.
Benefits for Rural Communities
The expanded broadband network is expected to improve access to several essential digital services, including:
- Online education and digital learning.
- Telemedicine and online healthcare services.
- E-Governance and government services.
- Digital payments and financial services.
- Other citizen centric online services.
The initiative is particularly aimed at improving digital connectivity in rural and remote areas where reliable internet access remains a challenge.
What Is the Amended BharatNet Programme?
The Union Cabinet approved the Amended BharatNet Programme on August 4, 2023, to upgrade, consolidate and expand the existing BharatNet network.
Digital Bharat Nidhi, formerly known as the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), operates under the Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications. It supports the expansion of telecommunications services in underserved rural, remote and other areas.
The latest agreement is expected to accelerate the expansion of Telangana’s rural digital infrastructure and support the state’s broader digital development goals.
The actual impact will depend on the timely implementation of the project and the availability of reliable broadband services to rural households.
