Government to launch BharatNet phase 2 project today

The government will today launch its second and final phase of BharatNet project to provide high-speed broadband service in all Gram Panchayats by March 2019. It will be implemented at an outlay of around 34 thousand crore rupees.

Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is organizing a National Conference in New Delhi in which it will sign MoUs with states for the implementation of the second phase of BharatNet. Under this phase, broadband connectivity will be provided in remaining 1.5 lakh Gram Panchayats in the country. Information and



Technology Ministers and Secretaries from States and service providers will participate in the conference.

An official release said Broadband infrastructure on Optical Fibre network has been made available in more than one lakh Gram Panchayats as part of BharatNet Phase-1 and by December this year, all these Panchayats will be operational on the BharatNet infrastructure. Almost 90 thousand installations have been completed and broadband services are expected to commence in 80 thousand Gram Panchayats soon.