A crucial meeting regarding implementation of the Amended BharatNet Program (ABP) in J&K was today co-chaired by Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo and Secretary, Telecom, GoI, Neeraj Mittal. The meeting underscored the commitment towards bridging the digital divide in rural India, where broadband penetration currently stands at a mere 2%, compared to 33% in urban areas.
The meeting was also attended by the Principal Secretary, PDD; Commissioner Secretary, Forests; Secretary, IT; Secretary, Cooperatives; CGM, BSNL; Deputy Commissioners and SIO, NIC besides other concerned officers.
Terming the programme as significant for strengthening the digital governance at the grassroots, the Chief Secretary said ABP will play a transformative role in extending high-speed internet connectivity to blocks, tehsils and remote panchayats across the Union Territory.
He assured full support from the UT administration to ensure time-bound implementation of the project. Dulloo emphasized that the project would significantly enhance the connectivity for government institutions including schools, hospitals and agriculture offices, enabling better delivery of public services and access to real-time information.
This programme holds the potential to revolutionize the agriculture by delivering weather forecasts, crop advisories and other farmer-centric services directly to rural areas, he added. Secretary Telecom, Dr Neeraj Mittal, underlined the importance of optimal utilization, regular maintenance and enhancement of the BharatNet infrastructure to maximize its impact.
He suggested that the UT may consider learning from best practices of states where ABP implementation has been highly successful. He also outlined the inter-departmental coordination required to facilitate the rollout, directing departments like IT, PDD and RDD to ensure necessary support ranging from logistical arrangements and power supply to space for equipment.
Regarding the Programme, the meeting was apprised that the Amended BharatNet is a flagship project designed to provide fast, reliable and affordable digital connectivity across the nation. Key features of the program included Optical Fiber Cable (OFC) connectivity to all Gram Panchayats (GPs), connectivity to non-GP villages on a demand basis ensuring network.
The programme also envisages uptime greater than 98% and 10-year Operation and Maintenance (O&M) commitment targeting 1.5 crore broadband connections nationwide. The Cabinet has approved the Amended BharatNet Program (ABP) with a total estimated cost of Rs 1,39,579 crore through out the nation.
For J&K (including Ladakh), the ABP project cost is Rs 2,631 crore (including Capex & Opex). The scope of work in the region included bringing 413 connected GPs onto the ring topology and connecting an additional 3,887 new GPs in the ring.
Additionally, all non-Gram Panchayat (GP) villages will be connected on demand, with a target of 200,000 Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) connections. The FTTH rollout will be aligned with GP commissioning milestones, with a phased adoption plan: moderate uptake in Year 1 due to infrastructure readiness, accelerating in Year 2 as over 50% of GPs become operational and reaching peak adoption in Years 3-4.
As far as implementation and timelines are concerned, M/s STL is the Project Implementing Agency (PIA) as the EPC contractor, while BSNL serves as the Project Management Agency (PMA). Key timelines for the project in J&K involves Handover Takeover (HOTO) of existing networks by PIAs within 6 months from the agreement signing date.
Survey of GPs for network creation on ring topology is envisaged within a period of 12 months from the agreement signing date. It also sets 36 months for commissioning of GPs in ring topology. Implementation of ABP in J&K includes establishment of a state-of-the-art Network Operation Centre (NOC) at Jammu by September 2025.
The ABP network will connect the public institutions, private enterprises, local entrepreneurs and households. It will enable the digital governance through digitization of government processes and MIS systems. Besides, it will facilitate access to digital services like e-education, e-health and e-agriculture and boost the digital economy by providing platforms for businesses and digital transactions.
The meeting was informed that a centralized BharatNet Issue Management Platform has been established to track, coordinate and resolve implementation issues, ensuring structured communication and timely responses among all stakeholders.
This ambitious program is set to transform the digital landscape of Jammu & Kashmir, bringing equitable and high-speed internet access to its rural communities.