**Summary:**
As of June 30, 2025, approximately 97% (626,055 out of 644,131) of villages in India have internet access via 3G/4G mobile coverage. The BharatNet project is underway to provide broadband connectivity to all Gram Panchayats (GPs) and villages. To date, 1,301,193 Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) connections have been commissioned through BharatNet, enabling access to online services, including those beneficial to farmers.
Several initiatives are being implemented under the Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) to enhance mobile coverage and internet connectivity in rural areas, including the 4G saturation project, the Border Out Posts (BoP)/Border Intelligence Posts (BiP) project, and the BharatNet project. Under the 4G saturation project, 21,748 mobile towers have been commissioned as of June 2025.
The Government of India launched the Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment 2022-23, earmarking ₹3000 crores for Optical Fiber Cable development. These funds can be used to extend BharatNet from GPs to villages, providing last-mile connectivity (LMC) to government institutions (schools, health centers, etc.), private institutions, and households.
The Union Cabinet approved the Department of Telecom's (DoT) proposal to expand broadband access via public WiFi networks under the Prime Minister's WiFi Access Network Interface (PM-WANI) framework. Currently, 353,105 PM-WANI WiFi Hotspots are installed nationwide.
This information was provided by the Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development, Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Communications: The Indian government ministry responsible for communications and information technology.
BharatNet project: A project to provide broadband connectivity to all Gram Panchayats (GPs) and villages in India.
Gram Panchayats: Village level local self-government institutions in India.
Digital Bharat Nidhi: A fund supporting projects to improve mobile coverage and internet connectivity in villages.
Scheme for Special Assistance to states for Capital Investment 202223: A scheme by Government of India to provide financial assistance to states for capital investments, including optical fiber cable projects.
Union Cabinet: The council of ministers in the Government of India.
Department of Telecom: The department under the Ministry of Communications responsible for telecommunications policy and regulation.
Prime Ministers WiFi Access Network Interface: A framework to proliferate broadband through public WiFi networks.
Ministry of Communications
Wi-Fi facility benefit to farmers
BharatNet project is being implemented in a phased
manner to provide broadband connectivity to all the
Gram Panchayats (GPs) and villages in the country
Posted On: 20 AUG 2025 5:31PM by PIB Delhi
As per RGI (Registrar General of India) data, out of the total 6,44,131 villages in the country, 6,26,055
villages are having internet facility (3G/4G) through mobile coverage network as on 30.06.2025.
BharatNet project is being implemented in a phased manner to provide broadband connectivity to all the
Gram Panchayats (GPs) and villages in the country. A total of 13,01,193 no. of FTTH connections have been
commissioned in the country through BharatNet. The Wi-Fi technology enabled FTTH connections are being
used for accessing all type of online services such as e-education, e-health, e-governance, e-commerce, etc.
including the usage by farmers in increasing their knowledge about agriculture and keeping themselves
updated about new development in agriculture.
Various projects such as 4G saturation project, Border Out Posts (BoP)-Border Intelligence Posts (BiP)
project, BharatNet project etc under Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) are being taken up to improve the mobile
coverage and internet connectivity in villages. Under 4G saturation project till Jun-2025, 21,748 mobile
towers have been commissioned in the country under various Government funded mobile projects.
Further Government of India had launched a redesigned and expanded Scheme for the year 2022-23 named
“Scheme for Special Assistance to states for Capital Investment 2022-23”. A total amount of Rs 3000 crores
was earmarked for Part-V (Optical Fiber Cable) of the Scheme for Special Assistance to states for Capital
Investment 2022-23. Funds can be used to extend Bharatnet to Villages from the GPs covered as at present for
Last Mile Connectivity (LMC) on the OFC to Government Institutions (like School, Health Centre,
Anganwadi, Police Station, Krishi Vikash Kendra, Post Office, ration Shop etc.), Private Institutions and
Households from Bharat Net network.
The Union Cabinet has also approved the proposal of Department of Telecom (DoT) to proliferate Broadband
through Public Wi-Fi networks under the framework of Prime Minister’s Wi-Fi Access Network Interface
(PMWANI). Currently, 3,53,105 PMWANI Wi-Fi Hotspots are installed across the country.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development Dr.
Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.
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Samrat/Allen
(Release ID: 2158465)