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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS
DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS
RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4337
TO BE ANSWERED ON 02ND APRIL, 2026
PROGRESS OF BHARATNET PROJECT
4337 # SHRI PRADIP KUMAR VARMA:
Will the Minister of Communications be pleased to state:
(a) the number of Gram Panchayats connected with broadband so far under the BharatNet
project;
(b) the number of internet users in rural areas;
(c) the amount of central assistance released for expanding digital connectivity; and
(d) the proposed new rural connection targets in the coming financial year?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(DR. PEMMASANI CHANDRA SEKHAR)
(a) & (b) As of 28.02.2026, out of 2,65,014 Gram Panchayats planned, 2,17,805 number of
Gram Panchayats have been made service ready under BharatNet. The number of rural internet
subscribers in the country for the quarter ending December 2025 is 434.27 million.
(c) As of 28.02.2026, total of Rs. 95,225.87 crore have been disbursed under Digital Bharat Nidhi
(DBN) since its inception to provide telecom services in rural and remote areas of the country.
(d) Under Amended BharatNet program, it has been approved to provide 1.5 Crore Fibre-to-the-
Home (FTTH) connections over five years across all States/UTs, with priority to cover
Government institutions including schools, Primary Health Centers, Anganwadis, Panchayat
offices etc.
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