Over 1.7 Lakh Gram Panchayats made service ready with broadband infrastructure under BharatNet: Centre

With an aim to provide high-speed internet and broadband in all Gram Panchayats (GPs) and villages of the country, the government has envisaged the BharatNet project, said the Minister of State for Communications, Devusinh Chauhan, on Friday.

"A total of 1,72,361 Gram Panchayats have been made service-ready in the country with broadband infrastructure under BharatNet" informed Chauhan.

"As per data provided by Telecom Service Providers and field units of Department of Telecommunications, it is estimated that out of 5,97,618 inhabited villages (as per Census 2011) in the country, 5,58,537 villages have mobile wireless broadband coverage," he said.

As per an official release, the monitoring of the availability of Internet facilities was being done on the basis of the number of subscribers. The availability of Internet connectivity enabled the general public to access all kinds of online digital services including in the field of education and healthcare.

Last year, the Government of India approved the implementation of BharatNet through the PPP model in 16 States, including Kerala, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.

( With inputs from ANI )