High-Speed Broadband Link Planned For 5 Lakh Rural Homes in AP

This would be done under the amended BharatNet Project (ABP).

The agreement was formalised in the presence of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Union communications minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Union minister of state Pemmasani Chandrasekhar, and state minister BC Janardhan Reddy.

Naidu stated that the Centre committed to make a payment of `2,432 crore for the project in the state. Fibrenet connections would be provided to nearly five lakh rural households. The plan is also to expand high-speed broadband connectivity across gram panchayats.

The CM declared that high-speed internet would be made available to every household in the state within a year and a half.

To ensure seamless execution, the state government has constituted a Special Purpose Vehicle — Andhra Pradesh BharatNet Infrastructure Limited (APBIL) — which would oversee the project implementation. Aspects of the funding would be coordinated between Digital Bharat Nidhi and the state government.

Naidu said, “The project roadmap covers 13,426 gram panchayats across Andhra Pradesh. It includes upgrading networks in 1,692 Phase-I panchayats, completing digital connectivity in 11,254 Phase-II villages, and extending services to 480 newly formed gram panchayats.”

The government is also focusing on enhancing demand-based last-mile connectivity in 3,942 villages to ensure reliable access at the grassroots level.”

Officials said the strengthened digital backbone would boost digital governance, online education, telemedicine, digital payments and a wide range of e-governance services in rural areas.

Naidu said that during his first term as CM in the present AP, he had urged BSNL to enhance bandwidth, enabling teleconferencing and video conferencing facilities -- at a time when digital infrastructure was limited.

The CM praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and communications minister Jyotiraditya Scindia with steering India’s digital revolution and expanding telecom connectivity. The PM, he said, has accorded top priority to emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and quantum computing.

Naidu said increased bandwidth is crucial to bringing global knowledge to rural households and making service delivery more efficient. Over 900 government services are currently being delivered through WhatsApp governance in the state, he noted.

Technology, he said, is also being deployed to print and secure Pattadar passbooks, while blockchain solutions are being applied to safeguard land records.

He said, “In the health sector, the government plans to roll out the Sanjeevani project by integrating advanced technologies. Efforts are also under way to harness AI for improving education and healthcare delivery. AI will not eliminate jobs but will create more employment opportunities by enhancing youth skills.”

The CM revealed that in collaboration with an IBM–TCS–L&T consortium, Andhra Pradesh plans to bring the country’s first quantum computer to Amaravati, with a long-term vision to manufacture quantum computers in the capital region within the next two to three years.

Naidu underlined the need for the bureaucracy to upgrade its AI skills, adding, “Andhra Pradesh is ready to serve as a test bed for telecom and technology innovations.”

FiberNet managing director Geethanjali Sharma and senior BSNL officials were present.