Ranchi, September 10: Jharkhand on Thursday moved a step closer to expanding high-speed internet access in rural areas with the signing of an agreement for implementing the Amended BharatNet Programme (ABP) under BharatNet Phase III.
The agreement was signed between the Government of India’s Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), the Government of Jharkhand and Jharkhand Digital Infrastructure Corporation Limited (JDICL).
Administrator of DBN Shyamal Mishra represented the Centre, while Jharkhand Information Technology Department Secretary Pooja Singhal and Director Madhavi Mishra signed the agreement on behalf of the state government.
The programme aims to strengthen broadband infrastructure across 260 blocks, 4,395 Gram Panchayats and 26,777 non-GP villages in the state.
Under the initiative, 4,387 existing Gram Panchayats will be upgraded to a ring-based network architecture, while eight new Gram Panchayats will also be connected through the system.
The project also envisages the rollout of 4,39,049 Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) connections over five years, allowing broadband services to be extended closer to rural households and institutions.
The programme includes the development and upgradation of middle-mile infrastructure to increase network capacity and improve reliability. A State Network Operations Centre (SNOC) will also be established in Jharkhand for network monitoring and management.
According to the agreement, BSNL will provide Project Management Consultancy support to JDICL during implementation of the programme.
The expanded network is expected to improve digital connectivity for rural communities and facilitate greater access to e-Governance, online education, healthcare services and other digital facilities.
The initiative is also aimed at strengthening connectivity to government institutions and enabling wider use of digital platforms in rural and underserved areas.
The state government said the programme is being implemented in coordination with the Centre and concerned agencies, with the objective of ensuring that improved broadband infrastructure reaches rural communities across Jharkhand.
The expansion of the BharatNet network is expected to contribute to reducing the digital divide between urban and rural areas and provide a stronger foundation for digital public services and rural development.
