(a) the percentage of population with access to broadband connection in rural India and the State-wise breakup thereof;
(b) the details of the steps being taken to increase this broadband penetration in rural India; and
(c) the details of the steps being taken to increase digital financial literacy in rural areas?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS
(SHRI DEVUSINH CHAUHAN)
(a) As per Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Yearly Performance Indicators Indian Telecom Sector (Sixth Edition) 2021, out of 792.09 million broadband subscribers, number of rural broadband subscribers is 314.83 million. Rural internet tele-density increased from 34.60 to 37.25 from Dec-20 to Dec-21. The state-wise rural broadband subscribers percentage is attached as Annexure
(b) Mobile/Broadband/Internet services are provided in a phased manner by the Government and Telecom Services Provider (TSPs) in the uncovered villages of the country. The Government, with funding from Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), has schemes namely Comprehensive Telecom Development Plan for North Eastern Region, Left Wing Extremism (LWE) Affected Area schemes, Aspirational Districts Schemes, Comprehensive Telecom Development Plan for Islands, etc. to extend mobile connectivity through setting up of towers in the uncovered villages of the country.
BharatNet project is implemented in a phased manner to provide broadband connectivity to all Gram Panchayats (GPs) in the country. The infrastructure created under BharatNet project can be utilized by Service providers, for provisioning of broadband/internet services. The scope of BharatNet has been recently extended up to all inhabited villages beyond GPs in the country.
National Broadband Mission (NBM) was launched on 17th December 2019 with a vision to fast-track growth of digital communications infrastructure, bridge the digital divide, facilitate digital empowerment and inclusion, and provide affordable and universal access of broadband for all.
To enhance proliferation of broadband services through public Wifi, Prime Minister Wireless Access Network Interface (PM-WANI) framework has been introduced. The PM-WANI framework enables provision of broadband through a distributed architecture and unbundling of functions. Under this framework entities are neither required to take any license nor pay any fee to the Government. The details of the same are available at website pmwani.gov.in
(c) Various promotion and awareness campaigns, through traditional means of publicity as well as emergent means such as social media platforms, have been initiated by Government to encourage citizens to use digital payments.