Summary:
A parliamentary committee has flagged major gaps in the implementation and utilisation of BharatNet, India’s rural broadband programme, and called for a state-wise and model-wise performance audit to identify bottlenecks. As of February 2026, only 78,899 of nearly 2.64 lakh Gram Panchayats had operational Points of Presence, despite 7.19 lakh km of fibre being deployed and ₹40,635 crore allocated. The panel also raised concerns over low network utilisation, with 9.48 lakh active FTTH connections, and urged a time-bound roadmap, stronger accountability, and greater focus on expanding household-level broadband access in rural areas.
A parliamentary committee has raised concerns over gaps in the implementation of BharatNet, the government’s flagship rural broadband initiative, and called for a detailed performance audit covering individual states and different implementation models. The panel said the exercise should identify implementation bottlenecks and help ensure broadband connectivity reaches every Gram Panchayat.
In its 32nd Report on Digital Bharat Nidhi, the Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology observed that although BharatNet has created significant infrastructure, the number of operational Gram Panchayats remains well below the programme’s target of universal coverage.
According to data submitted by the Department of Telecommunications, as of February 28, 2026, BharatNet Points of Presence (PoPs) were operational in 78,899 Gram Panchayats out of approximately 2.64 lakh nationwide. A PoP serves as a local network access point through which broadband connectivity can be extended to households, institutions and other users.
The Committee noted that the uneven pace of implementation across states and different models indicated shortcomings in planning, coordination and execution. It urged the Department to conduct a comprehensive state-wise and model-wise performance audit to identify and resolve these issues.
The panel also called for a revised and time-bound implementation plan, supported by clearly defined accountability, to ensure connectivity is completed across all Gram Panchayats.
The Department informed the Committee that 7.19 lakh kilometres of optical fibre cable had been deployed under BharatNet by February 28, 2026. Optical fibre serves as the core infrastructure for transmitting broadband data over long distances.
It further reported that ₹40,635 crore had been released from Digital Bharat Nidhi for BharatNet Phase-I and Phase-II as of the same date. Digital Bharat Nidhi is a dedicated fund intended to support telecom expansion, particularly in rural and underserved regions.
BharatNet was initially approved by the Union Cabinet in October 2011 as the National Optical Fibre Network, with the objective of connecting all Gram Panchayats with broadband. It was later renamed BharatNet and became a key rural connectivity initiative under Digital India. Phase-I was completed in December 2017, while Phase-II received approval in July 2017.
The Committee also expressed concern about the limited utilisation of the infrastructure already established. The Department reported 9,48,237 active Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) connections under BharatNet as of February 28, all located in rural areas. FTTH provides broadband connectivity by extending optical fibre directly to homes and other end users.
Despite the scale of infrastructure and funding invested in the programme, the panel observed that network utilisation remained below its potential and that rural and remote communities had not yet received the full benefits of digital connectivity. It therefore recommended stronger efforts to expand FTTH connections and maximise the use of BharatNet’s existing infrastructure.
