Summary:
Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), under the Department of Telecommunications, has signed an agreement with the Maharashtra government, BSNL, MahaNet Digital Infrastructure Limited and MahaIT to implement the Amended BharatNet Programme across the state. The initiative will cover 28,237 Gram Panchayats and provide demand-based connectivity to 15,799 villages, with Rs 105.20 billion in central government funding. The programme aims to strengthen rural broadband and last-mile connectivity, support more than 0.9 million rural fibre connections, and improve access to services such as e-Governance, online education, telemedicine and digital payments.
In a major move to strengthen digital infrastructure and expand broadband access in rural Maharashtra, Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), has signed an agreement with the Maharashtra government for implementing the Amended BharatNet Program (ABP) in the state under the state-led model.
The agreement has been entered into by DBN under DoT, the Government of Maharashtra, MahaNet Digital Infrastructure Limited (MDIL), Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Maharashtra Information Technology Corporation Limited (MahaIT) for execution of the ABP across Maharashtra.
The signing represents a key step towards faster execution of the programme and demonstrates the joint commitment of the central and state governments to improving rural digital infrastructure, strengthening last-mile connectivity and supporting inclusive digital development.
The Union Cabinet approved the ABP on August 4, 2023, with the aim of upgrading, consolidating and expanding the existing BharatNet network to provide reliable, future-ready broadband connectivity to all Gram Panchayats and villages based on demand.
In Maharashtra, MDIL will be responsible for implementing the ABP. The programme covers a total of 28,237 Gram Panchayats, including the upgradation of 15,171 Phase I Gram Panchayats from linear to ring topology to improve network resilience, connectivity for 12,740 Phase II Gram Panchayats, and the addition of 326 newly established Gram Panchayats. The programme will also provide demand-based connectivity to 15,799 villages to further strengthen last-mile access.
The Government of India has sanctioned financial assistance of Rs 105.20 billion for carrying out the programme in Maharashtra. The initiative is expected to support more than 0.9 million rural home fibre connections through central government funding and substantially improve access to digital services such as e-Governance, online education, telemedicine, digital payments and citizen-focused services in rural and remote parts of the state.
