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

Communication Minister Manoj Sinha, Electronics and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, HR Development Minister Prakash Javadekar and Dy. CM of Bihar Sushil Modi and IT ministers of different states launched this at a function in New Delhi. 

Department of Telecommunications today signed 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. 

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.

Source : AIR