Summary:
The CAG has found that BharatNet has not fully met its goal of bridging India’s digital divide, citing weaknesses in planning and execution. Although the project had covered more than 96.70% of targeted Gram Panchayats by November 2025, the extensive infrastructure rollout has not translated into effective network operations, utilisation or revenue generation.
The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has said that BharatNet, the government’s rural high-speed broadband initiative, has not fully achieved its objective of bridging the digital divide, mainly due to shortcomings in planning and execution.
In its ‘Performance Audit on BharatNet’ Phase-II report, tabled in Parliament on August 12, the CAG noted that the project had deployed network infrastructure covering more than 96.70 per cent of the targeted Gram Panchayats as of November 2025.
However, the audit found that the extensive infrastructure rollout had not translated into efficient network operations, utilisation and revenue generation. The CAG concluded that while BharatNet has made substantial progress in infrastructure development, it has fallen short of its broader goal of narrowing the digital divide.
