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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS
DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS
RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4343
TO BE ANSWERED ON 02ND APRIL, 2026
EXPANSION OF 4G AND 5G INFRASTRUCTURE IN BIHAR
4343 SHRI AKHILESH PRASAD SINGH:
Will the Minister of Communications be pleased to state:
(a) the progress achieved under the national 4G saturation programme in uncovered villages of
Bihar since 2023;
(b) whether Patna and surrounding districts have been included in deployment of indigenous 5G
networks developed under national telecom initiatives;
(c) the financial assistance provided for strengthening telecom infrastructure and improving
broadband connectivity in the State; and
(d) the steps taken to bridge the digital divide and ensure reliable high-speed connectivity for
citizens, educational institutions and businesses in Patna?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(DR. PEMMASANI CHANDRA SEKHAR)
(a) Government, through various mobile projects under Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), has
installed 387 mobile towers to provide 4G mobile coverage in uncovered villages in Bihar. 359 of
these mobile towers have been installed since January 2023.
(b) 5G mobile services are rolled out by the telecom service providers themselves on techno-
commercial considerations. As on 28.02.2026, there are 27,938 5G base transceivers (BTSs) in
Bihar.
(c) As on 28.02.2026, total funds disbursed during FY 2022-23 to 2025-26 under DBN to provide
telecom services in rural and remote areas of Bihar is Rs. 814.77 crore.
(d) BharatNet program, which has been funded through DBN, has a mandate to provide
broadband connectivity to all Gram Panchayats (GPs) across the country. 298 GPs in Patna district
of Bihar have been made service ready under this program. The Amended BharatNet Program (ABP),
approved on 04.08.2023, has provision to utilise the BharatNet network, including approximately
1.5 crore fiber to the home (FTTH) connections across all States/UTs including Patna district of
Bihar with priority to cover Government institutions including schools, Primary Health Centers,
Anganwadis, Panchayat offices etc.
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