(a) the details of the number of villages connected by Optical Fibre Cable (OFC), year-wise from 2014 till date;
(b) the details of phase-wise completion of BharatNet including the original timelines for completion, actual dates of completion and current status of each phase;
(c) the details and the number of villages yet to be connected by OFC, State-wise; and
(d) the annual pace of laying OFC from 2014 till date?
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS & ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)
(a) to (d) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT TO BE LAID ON THE TABLE OF THE LOK SABHA IN RESPECT OF PARTS (a) TO (d) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 391 FOR 30TH MARCH, 2022 REGARDING ‘OPTICAL FIBRE CABLE’.
(a) BharatNet project is implemented in a phased manner to provide broadband connectivity through an optimal mix of media (OFC/Radio/Satellite) to all Gram Panchayats (GPs) of the country. The year-wise number of GPs, made Service Ready on Optical Fibre Cable (OFC), is given in Annexure-I.
(b) BharatNet project (earlier known as National Optical Fiber Network) was originally approved by the cabinet on 25.10.2011 with the project timeline as two years from the date of approval. Thereafter, the target to connect 1 lakh GPs of Phase-I was revised to November 2017. The Phase-I was completed in December 2017.
Subsequently, the Cabinet approved a modified strategy for BharatNet on 19.07.2017 with the project timeline as March 2019 for all the Gram Panchayats of the country. As on 28.02.2022, total 1,72,361 GPs have been made Service Ready under BharatNet project in the country.
The scope of BharatNet has been recently extended up to all inhabited villages beyond GPs in the country, with the timeline as 2025.
(c) Under BharatNet project, broadband connectivity is envisaged to be provided through an optimal mix of media (OFC/Radio/Satellite) to GPs/Villages. The State/UT-wise details of the GPs/Villages, yet to be made Service Ready, are given in Annexure-II.
(d) The details of year-wise OFC laying (cumulative) are given in Annexure-I.