Key Points
- Centre approves ₹5,629 crore for Gujarat's amended BharatNet rollout
- Programme to connect 14,287 gram panchayats with upgraded fibre network
- Over five lakh rural homes to receive fibre broadband connections
The Centre has approved ₹5,629 crore in financial support for rolling out the amended BharatNet programme in Gujarat, which will upgrade broadband infrastructure across 14,287 gram panchayats and provide fibre connectivity to over five lakh rural homes.
Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), the funding body under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), signed an addendum to an existing agreement for the programme’s implementation on Friday (10 July) at Sanchar Bhawan in New Delhi.
The agreement brings together the Gujarat government, Gujarat Fibre Grid Network Limited (GFGNL) and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) to execute the project under a state-led model.
The upgraded network will directly benefit rural households across Gujarat by enabling access to digital services including e-governance portals, online education platforms, telemedicine consultations and digital payment systems — services that require stable, high-speed broadband connections currently unavailable in many villages.
Gujarat rural broadband upgrade under BharatNet
The programme’s scope includes upgrading 14,264 gram panchayats that were connected under BharatNet’s earlier phases. These existing connections, built in a linear configuration where a single cable break could disrupt service to multiple villages, will be converted to ring topology — a circular network design where data can travel in either direction, ensuring connectivity remains intact even if one segment fails.
The project will also extend coverage to 23 newly created gram panchayats and provide on-demand connectivity to 3,895 additional villages to strengthen last-mile access.
GFGNL, the Gujarat government’s fibre network company, will implement the programme. P Bharathi, secretary of Gujarat’s Department of Science and Technology, and Dinesh Kumar Garg, deputy director general for BharatNet implementation at DoT, signed the addendum in the presence of Shyamal Misra, administrator of Digital Bharat Nidhi.
The Union Cabinet approved the amended BharatNet programme on 4 August 2023 with the objective of upgrading, consolidating and expanding the existing network to provide robust broadband connectivity to all gram panchayats, with villages receiving connections on a demand basis.
By the numbers
- ₹5,629 crore
- Central funding approved for Gujarat BharatNet
- 14,287
- Gram panchayats to receive upgraded broadband
- 5 lakh+
- Rural homes to get fibre connections
The original BharatNet project, launched in 2011, aimed to connect all of India’s approximately 2.5 lakh gram panchayats with optical fibre. The amended programme addresses gaps in the earlier phases and upgrades infrastructure to handle higher bandwidth demands.
Digital Bharat Nidhi, formerly the Universal Service Obligation Fund, was established under the Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Act, 2003. Following the Telecommunications Act, 2023, it was renamed and given an expanded mandate to promote telecom access in underserved rural, remote and urban areas.
DBN funds several connectivity initiatives including BharatNet, 4G saturation projects in aspirational districts, and mobile services in left-wing extremist areas, Himalayan and border regions, islands and the north-eastern states.
Your Questions, Answered
How much funding has been approved for BharatNet in Gujarat?
The Centre has approved ₹5,629 crore in financial support for implementing the amended BharatNet programme in Gujarat under the state-led model.
How many villages will benefit from Gujarat's BharatNet upgrade?
The programme will cover 14,287 gram panchayats, including upgrades to 14,264 existing connections and 23 newly created gram panchayats. Additionally, 3,895 villages will receive connectivity on demand.
What is ring topology and why does it matter for rural broadband?
Ring topology is a circular network design where data can travel in either direction. Unlike linear networks where a single break disrupts service to multiple villages, ring topology ensures connectivity remains intact even if one segment fails.
Who will implement the BharatNet programme in Gujarat?
Gujarat Fibre Grid Network Limited (GFGNL), the state government's fibre network company, will implement the programme in partnership with BSNL and with funding from Digital Bharat Nidhi.
