Parliament Question: BSNL's Indigenous 4G Infrastructure Achievements

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 259 ANSWERED ON 5TH AUGUST, 2026 BSNL'S INDIGENOUS 4G INFRASTRUCTURE ACHIEVEMENTS *259. SHRI CHAVAN RAVINDRA VASANTRAO: SHRI DHAIRYASHEEL SAMBHAJIRAO MANE: Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state: (a) the details of domestic 4G infrastructure achievements of BSNL including the number of operational sites thereof and the domestic radio network technology leadership status including in Nabarangpur Lok Sabha Constituency, Odisha; (b) the status of BharatNet project and the utilisation of the allocation of Rs.1.39 lakh crore for fibre access to Gram Panchayats and providing 1.5 crore rural broadband connections; (c) whether the 4G saturation project for border districts and the Left Wing Extremism(LWE) affected districts is on track under which installation of 17,000 towers has been completed out of planned 21,000 towers, if so, the details thereof; (d) the details of the interventions and fiscal allocations within the BSNL revival package designed to promote digital equity, bridge the rural-urban connectivity gap and advance the vision of a developed India by the year 2047 particularly in Nabarangpur Lok Sabha Constituency, Odisha and the status of implementation and benefits accrued in Karnataka and Dakshina Kannada district; and (e) the details of BSNL 4G sites commissioned, BharatNet connectivity provided to Gram Panchayats and the present status of rural broadband connectivity in the State of Uttar Pradesh particularly Meerut-Hapur Lok Sabha Constituency? ANSWER MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION (SHRI JYOTIRADITYA M. SCINDIA) (a) to (e) A statement is laid on the Table of the House. 1STATEMENT TO BE LAID ON THE TABLE OF LOK SABHA IN RESPECT OF PARTS (a) TO (e) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 259 FOR 5TH AUGUST, 2026 REGARDING “BSNL'S INDIGENOUS 4G INFRASTRUCTURE ACHIEVEMENTS” ASKED BY SHRI CHAVAN RAVINDRA VASANTRAO & SHRI DHAIRYASHEEL SAMBHAJIRAO MANE. (a): In line with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, BSNL, as on 25.7.2026, has installed 98,550 indigenous 4G sites on pan-India basis out of one lakh such sites planned, of which 97,174 4G sites are on-air. In Nabarangpur Lok Sabha Constituency, Odisha, BSNL has installed a total of 191 4G sites under its Phase IX.2 expansion and the 4G Saturation and Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-I upgradation Projects funded from Digital Bharat Nidhi. (b): The BharatNet project has been approved for provision of broadband connectivity to all Gram Panchayats (GPs) in the country. Further, the Government has approved the Amended BharatNet Programme for upgradation of the existing network created under Phase-I and Phase-II of BharatNet and to create incremental network for new GPs, and to the non-GP villages on demand basis, its operation and maintenance and provision of fibre-based internet connections. As on 30.6.2026, a total 43,908 km of optical fibre cable have been laid and a total of 13,494 Gram Panchayats upgraded under the Amended BharatNet Programme. Further, as on 30.06.2026, there were 9,75,402 active fibre-based connections using BharatNet across the country. (c): As on 30.6.2026, 23,426 4G towers out of 33,409 4G towers, have been made on-air under different mobile connectivity projects funded from Digital Bharat Nidhi across the country, including in border districts and left wing extremism affected districts. (d): To strengthen BSNL, expand telecom and rural digital connectivity throughout India, reduce operational costs, and promote indigenous telecommunications technology, the Government has approved revival packages worth about ₹3.18 lakh crore, including sovereign guarantee for ₹31,328 crore for raising long-term Sovereign Guarantee Bonds (SGBs) for debt restructuring. Further, as on 25.7.2026, in Nabarangpur Lok Sabha Constituency, BSNL has commissioned 103 4G sites under Phase IX.2 expansion and 88 4G sites under Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) Projects. In the State of Karnataka, BSNL has commissioned 5,375 4G sites under Phase IX.2 expansion and as on 30.6.2026, total 678 4G sites through DBN funded projects. In Dakshina Kannada District, BSNL has commissioned 239 4G sites under Phase IX.2 expansion and 89 4G sites through DBN funded projects. (e): BSNL had commissioned 6,910 4G sites in the State of Uttar Pradesh, including 213 4G sites in Meerut-Hapur Lok Sabha Constituency. Further, as on 30.6.2026, 4,010 GPs in the State of Uttar Pradesh had been provided connectivity under the BharatNet project and around 700 number of rural broadband connections in Meerut-Hapur Lok Sabha Constituency. ****** 2