Government to provide broadband connectivity to rural schools and PHCs under BharatNet

broadband

Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced on February 1 said the central government will extend broadband connectivity to all government-run secondary schools and primary healthcare centres (PHCs) in rural areas through the BharatNet initiative.

“Broadband connectivity will be provided to all government secondary schools and PHCs in rural areas under the BharatNet project,” Sitharaman said while presenting the Union Budget for 2025-26 in Parliament.

BharatNet, originally approved by the Union Cabinet on October 25, 2011, is an ambitious initiative designed to provide high-speed and affordable Internet access to every gram panchayat (village block) nationwide.

Spearheaded by the Ministry of Communications, the project aims to empower rural communities by bridging the digital divide and fostering inclusive growth.

As of January 13, 2025, the BharatNet project has successfully connected 2,14,323 Gram Panchayats (GPs) and laid 6,92,676 km of optical fiber cable (OFC). Additionally, 12,21,014 Fibre-To-The-Home (FTTH) connections have been commissioned, and 1,04,574 Wi-Fi hotspots have been installed to ensure last-mile connectivity.

In a further push for digital transformation, the government will establish a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for artificial intelligence (AI) in the education sector, with an allocated budget of Rs 500 crore.

“I announced three CoEs in AI for agriculture, health, and sustainable cities in 2023. Now, a CoE in AI for education will be set up with a total outlay of Rs 500 crore,” Sitharaman stated.