Cabinet clears revised implementation strategy for BharatNet

BharatNet aims to provide minimum 100 Mbps broadband connectivity to gram panchayats

The Cabinet on Wednesday approved a revised implementation strategy for BharatNet, to give broadband connectivity to all gram panchayats by March 2019. According to officials, the project will entail an estimated expenditure of Rs 42,068 crore, funded from the Universal Service Obligation Fund.

BharatNet (erstwhile National Optical Fibre Network) aims to provide minimum 100 Mbps broadband connectivity to gram panchayats by using an optimal mix of underground fibre, aerial fibre, radio and satellite media. The project was earlier scheduled to connect all gram panchayats by December 2018. As part of the modified strategy, implementation will be done by states, state agencies, private sector companies and central public sector undertakings, the sources said. There will be a mix of media, rather than only underground optic fibre, which was the initial strategy. There will be last-mile connectivity in every gram panchayat for service delivery on Wi-Fi or any other such technology, and provision of horizontal connectivity to institutions at gram panchayats.

The infrastructure created under BharatNet will be shared by all categories of service providers non-discriminatorily. The implementation agency would also be responsible for management, operation and maintenance.

Of the Rs 42,068 crore, Rs 11,148 crore is the cost of providing connectivity to 100,000 gram panchayats in phase-1 and Rs 18,792 crore is for providing connectivity to the remaining 150,000 gram panchayats in phase-II. The balance amount is for essential activities not covered in the initial BharatNet framework, which include last-mile connectivity architecture, operation and maintenance and replacement of BSNL's poor quality fibre.