Government To Invest USD 18 Bn In Rural Broadband Expansion

(MENAFN- KNN India) New Delhi, Jul 2 (KNN) The government has announced plans to invest an additional USD 18 billion in expanding and maintaining rural broadband infrastructure across the country.

The initiative aims to connect 40,000 additional gram panchayats and provide high-speed internet access to 15 million rural households through targeted subsidies.

Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development, Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, made the announcement during the India Mobile Congress 2025 roadshow held in Bengaluru.

The event was organised jointly by the Department of Telecommunications and the Cellular Operators Association of India.

Pemmasani emphasised the transformation of India's telecommunications landscape, stating that the digital divide observed over a decade ago has evolved into digital dominance.

The country currently maintains nearly 1.2 billion mobile subscribers, representing the world's second-largest mobile network.

According to the minister, approximately one billion Indians now have access to broadband connectivity, marking a 1,452 percent increase compared to figures from ten years ago.

The expansion has been facilitated through the BharatNet initiative, which has successfully connected close to 220,000 villages across the nation.

The government's rural connectivity efforts have achieved significant milestones, with over 95 percent of villages now having access to 4G networks.

Additionally, India has implemented what officials describe as the world's fastest 5G network rollout, further strengthening the country's telecommunications infrastructure.

This investment represents a continuation of India's broader digital infrastructure development strategy, focusing particularly on bridging connectivity gaps in rural areas and ensuring equitable access to high-speed internet services across diverse geographical regions.

(KNN Bureau)

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