Digital Bharat Nidhi - AP Sign Pact To Accelerate Rural Broadband Connectivity
14 May 2026 11:42 AM IST14 May 2026 11:42 AM IST
Through this programme, e-governance, online education, telemedicine, digital payments and citizen-centric services are set to be further strengthened in rural Andhra Pradesh.
The MoU signing ceremony was attended by Shyamal Mishra (Administrator, Digital Bharat Nidhi), Anand Khare (Director General - Telecom, DoT), Geetanjali Sharma (CEO, APBIL), Papa Sudhakara Rao (Director - Enterprise Business, BSNL), and Dinesh Kumar Garg (DDG, ABP Implementation, DoT). | Image Source: @DoT_India X
New Delhi: Digital Bharat Nidhi has signed a pact with the Andhra Pradesh government on Wednesday, to roll out the amended BharatNet programme in the state with a financial support of Rs 2,432 crore from the Centre.
The MoU signing ceremony was attended by Shyamal Mishra (Administrator, Digital Bharat Nidhi), Anand Khare (Director General - Telecom, DoT), Geetanjali Sharma (CEO, APBIL), Papa Sudhakara Rao (Director - Enterprise Business, BSNL) and Dinesh Kumar Garg (DDG, ABP Implementation, DoT). at Sanchar Bhawan in New Delhi.
The Union Cabinet had approved the amended BharatNet Programme on 4 August 2023 with the objective of upgrading, consolidating, and expanding the existing BharatNet network to ensure robust and future-ready broadband connectivity to all Gram Panchayats and villages on a demand basis.
Under the Amended BharatNet Programme in Andhra Pradesh, the project will be implemented through Andhra Pradesh BharatNet Infrastructure Limited (APBIL). The Programme will have a total scope of 13,426 Gram Panchayats, which includes upgradation of 1,692 Phase I Gram Panchayats from linear to ring topology to enhance network resilience, coverage of 11,254 Phase II Gram Panchayats, and inclusion of 480 newly created Gram Panchayats. In addition, 3,942 villages will be provided connectivity on a demand basis to strengthen last-mile connectivity.
The initiative is expected to facilitate more than five lakh rural home fibre connections with financial support from the Government of India and significantly enhance the delivery of digital services, including e-Governance, online education, telemedicine, digital payments and citizen-centric services across rural and remote areas of the State.
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