Digital India Fund (DBN) approved financial assistance of ₹3,189 crore for implementing the revised BharatNet programme (ABP) in Telangana. Under the agreement, the state’s 12,769 gram panchayats will be linked to the digital network.
The agreement was signed today at the Communications Building in New Delhi in the presence of Digital India Fund administrator Mr Shyaml Mishra. Senior officials from the Department of Telecommunications, Telangana government, TRIICL, BSNL and T‑Fiber were also present.
Key points of the programme
The central cabinet approved the revised BharatNet programme on 4 August 2023, aiming to upgrade, strengthen and expand the existing network. In Telangana, the first phase will convert the topology of 1,946 gram panchayats from linear to ring, the second phase will cover the remaining 10,787 panchayats, and 36 newly formed panchayats will be added.
- Financial assistance: ₹3,189 crore
- Target gram panchayats: 12,769
- Phase 1: 1,946 panchayats (topology upgrade)
- Phase 2: 10,787 panchayats (coverage expansion)
- Newly formed panchayats: 36
The government says the initiative will provide fiber connections to about three lakh rural households, improving e‑governance, online education, tele‑medicine and digital payment services.