The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), on May 14, signed an agreement with the Andhra Pradesh government and related agencies for the implementation of the Amended BharatNet Programme (ABP) in the state aimed at expanding broadband connectivity across rural regions.
The agreement was signed between Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), DoT, the Andhra Pradesh government, Andhra Pradesh BharatNet Infrastructure Limited (APBIL), Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Andhra Pradesh State FiberNet Limited (APSFL) at Sanchar Bhawan in New Delhi.
The Centre has approved financial support of ₹2,432 crore for the project which will focus on strengthening digital infrastructure and improving last-mile internet connectivity in rural Andhra Pradesh.
According to the government, the programme will cover 13,426 Gram Panchayats across the state. This includes upgrading 1,692 Phase-I Gram Panchayats from linear to ring topology to improve network resilience, covering 11,254 Phase-II Gram Panchayats, and including 480 newly created Gram Panchayats.
Moreover, connectivity will be extended to 3,942 villages on a demand basis to further strengthen rural broadband access.
The signing ceremony was attended by senior officials including Shyamal Misra, Administrator of Digital Bharat Nidhi, Anand Khare, Director General (Telecom), DoT, Geetanjali Sharma, CEO of APBIL and Papa Sudhakara Rao, Director (Enterprise Business), BSNL.
The ABP was approved by the Union Cabinet in August 2023 with the objective of upgrading and expanding the existing BharatNet network to provide future-ready broadband connectivity across rural India.
Under the Andhra Pradesh rollout, APBIL will implement the programme in the state.
The government said the initiative is expected to support more than five lakh rural home fibre connections with financial assistance from the Centre. It is also expected to improve access to digital services such as e-governance, online education, telemedicine, digital payments and other citizen-centric services in remote and underserved areas.
The agreement marks an important step towards accelerating digital inclusion and strengthening telecom infrastructure in rural Andhra Pradesh as part of the broader vision of building a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy.
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