Question : BharatNet Project

(a) the funds disbursed under BharatNet Project during each of the last three years, State/UT-wise;

(b) the target set and achieved thereunder with regard to providing internet connection to gram panchayats during the said period, State/UT-wise;

(c) the reasons for not achieving the aforesaid envisaged target;

(d) the number of gram panchayats where physical infrastructure for commercial broadband connection has been installed, State/UT-wise along with the number of gram panchayats which have operational commercial broadband connections, State/UT-wise;

(e) the broadband speed in each such gram panchayat, State/UT-wise; and

(f) the average data usage rate per connection per day in each such gram panchayat?

MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS, LAW & JUSTICE AND
ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

(a) The State/UT-wise details of funds disbursed under BharatNet Project during each of the last three years are given in Annexure-I.

(b) & (c) The Union Cabinet on 19.07.2017 approved a modified strategy for implementing BharatNet which, inter-alia, includes providing broadband connectivity to all GPs by March 2019. As of March 2019, a total of 1,18,627 GPs have been made Service Ready. The State/UT-wise details are given in Annexure -II.

Implementation of BharatNet is very challenging as the project is of mega nature and the GPs are widely dispersed across the country in rural and remote areas. All out efforts are being made to expeditiously implement the project.

(d) The number of Gram Panchayats where physical infrastructure for broadband connection has been installed along with details of FTTH and Wi-Fi hotspots provided, State/UT-wise, are given in Annexure-III. The work of maintenance (i.e. O&M of incremental OFC network and First Line maintenance of equipment and supporting infrastructure) in each of 1.25 lakh GPs of the BharatNet Phase-I is being carried out by CSC e-Governance Services India Limited. The work of maintenance of the BharatNet Phase-II is being carried out by the respective Implementing agencies. Action is taken to rectify the faults as and when they are reported.

(e) In the Phase-I of the project, GPs are envisaged to be connected on 100 Mbps speed. However in Phase-II, to cover the remaining GPs, provision of 1 Gbps bandwidth in case of wired media (OFC) and minimum 100 Mbps bandwidth scalable up to 1 Gbps in case of wireless media (Radio) at a GP have been decided.
(f) The average data usage per connection per day is 1.93 MB (approx.) in respect of Wi-Fi services.