Key Points
- Maharashtra has over 12.7 crore internet subscribers including Mumbai residents
- DigiLocker platform has 71.66 crore registered users with 936 crore documents issued
- UPI now connects 55.49 crore individuals and 6.5 crore merchants across 731 banks
Maharashtra has more than 12.7 crore internet subscribers, including residents of Mumbai, the Centre told the Lok Sabha on Wednesday (12 August), as it outlined the implementation of Digital India initiatives and e-governance services in the state’s commercial capital.
Responding to a question from Mumbai North Central MP Prof. Varsha Eknath Gaikwad, Jitin Prasada, minister of state for electronics and information technology, said India’s total internet subscriber base had grown from 25.15 crore in March 2014 to 109.27 crore in March 2026. The data places Maharashtra among the states with the highest digital connectivity.
The response covered digital public infrastructure, which refers to foundational technology platforms that enable government services at scale. These include Aadhaar for identity verification, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) for digital transactions, and DigiLocker for secure document storage and sharing.
Digital connectivity
Under the BharatNet project, which aims to provide high-speed internet to rural and remote areas, 2.21 lakh gram panchayats have been made service-ready across the country as of June 2026. Of these, 739 gram panchayats are operational in Maharashtra, according to government data.
The Digital Bharat Nidhi-funded Mobile Connectivity Scheme has commissioned 24,784 mobile towers nationwide. Maharashtra accounts for 2,821 of these towers, the minister said.
Data costs in India have fallen sharply over the past decade, from Rs 269 per gigabyte in 2014 to roughly Rs 8 to 10 per gigabyte in 2025-26, making the country one of the cheapest data markets globally.
The government highlighted several digital platforms serving citizens across Mumbai and Maharashtra. DigiLocker, which provides access to authentic digital documents issued by government agencies, has 71.66 crore registered users nationally. The platform has issued more than 936 crore documents through 2,822 onboarded issuers. Maharashtra has 4.46 crore Aadhaar-enabled registrations for DigiLocker services.
UPI, the digital payment system operated by the National Payments Corporation of India, serves more than 55.49 crore individuals and 6.5 crore merchants. The platform connects 731 banks and processes 85 per cent of India’s digital payments, making it the world’s largest such system by volume.
The Direct Benefit Transfer programme, which uses Aadhaar-linked bank accounts to transfer welfare payments, has disbursed over Rs 52 lakh crore nationwide through 318 schemes administered by 56 ministries.
Common Service Centres, which provide assisted digital access points in rural areas, number 47,648 across Maharashtra. Of these, 876 are operational in Mumbai, offering more than 800 government and business services.
The Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance platform provides 2,575 services for individuals, including 61 services specific to Maharashtra. The e-Sanjeevani telemedicine platform has served over 48 crore patients across the country.
Cybersecurity measures
The response detailed the government’s cybersecurity framework. The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team, known as CERT-In, is the designated national agency for responding to cyber incidents under Section 70B of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
The National Cyber Coordination Centre, operated by CERT-In, monitors cyberspace and detects threats. The Cyber Swachhta Kendra provides free tools to detect and remove malicious software from citizen devices.
The National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre, established under Section 70A of the IT Act, protects critical information infrastructure. The Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre under the Ministry of Home Affairs coordinates responses to cybercrime.
By the numbers
- 12.7 crore
- Internet subscribers in Maharashtra
- 71.66 crore
- DigiLocker registered users nationwide
- Rs 52 lakh crore
- Total Direct Benefit Transfers disbursed
On digital literacy, the minister said 53 lakh candidates from Maharashtra were trained under the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan before it concluded on 31 March 2024. The National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology has trained 1.2 lakh candidates from Maharashtra in the last three financial years.
The Maharashtra government has implemented its own digital infrastructure including MahaNet for broadband connectivity, a state-wide area network connecting government offices to block level, and citizen-facing platforms such as the Aaple Sarkar unified service portal and MahaDBT 2.0 for direct benefit transfers.
Your Questions, Answered
How many internet subscribers does Maharashtra have?
Maharashtra has more than 12.7 crore internet subscribers including Mumbai residents, according to government data presented in the Lok Sabha on 12 August 2026.
How many gram panchayats are connected under BharatNet in Maharashtra?
As of June 2026, 739 gram panchayats are operational under BharatNet in Maharashtra, out of 2.21 lakh gram panchayats made service-ready nationwide.
How many DigiLocker users are there in India?
DigiLocker has 71.66 crore registered users nationally and has issued more than 936 crore documents. Maharashtra has 4.46 crore Aadhaar-enabled DigiLocker registrations.
How many Common Service Centres operate in Mumbai?
Mumbai has 876 Common Service Centres offering over 800 government and business services. Maharashtra has 47,648 CSCs in total across rural and urban areas.
