BharatNet: A Central Public Sector Initiative
- BharatNet, also known as Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL), is a public sector undertaking which was established by the Department of Telecommunications under the Ministry of Communications of India.
- It aims to provide a minimum of 100 Mbit/s broadband connectivity to all 250,000-gram panchayats in India, covering nearly 625,000 villages.
- BharatNet Phase-I, completed by December 2017, connected almost 100,000 village councils covering 300,000 villages.
- Phase-II, set to be completed by March 2023, will connect the remaining 150,000 village councils covering 325,000 villages in 16 states.
- The last mile connectivity includes 700,000 Wi-Fi hotspots, which is subsidized by a union government grant of ₹36 billion.
- BharatNet is the world’s largest rural broadband connectivity program, built under the Make in India initiative.
BharatNet Phase III: Job Creation and Strategy Shift
- The third phase of the government’s broadband project, BharatNet which is expected to create 25,000 direct and indirect jobs over the next two-three years.
- The phase III focuses on last-mile connectivity through various innovative solutions like Wi-Fi hotspots and fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) services.
- BharatNet’s rollout will boost job creation for roles like fibre technicians, NOC staff, installation and repair technicians, and customer support professionals.
- State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) opened bids for BharatNet phase III in August.
