Cabinet approves BharatNet's PPP model to provide internet services across Northeast villages

NEW DELHI:

The Union Cabinet, on Wednesday, approved the revised implementation strategy of BharatNet through public-private partnership (PPP) mode in 16 states, including the various northeastern states. 

The decision came after Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the revised strategy and the additional allocation on June 28.

According to sources, BharatNet will be extended to all inhabited villages beyond gram panchayats in the Northeast states of Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.

BharatNet, also called Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL), will also cover states like Kerala, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal, an official statement informed. 

The initiative covers nearly 3.61 lakh villages, including gram panchayats, while the estimated maximum viability gap funding approved for the said  PPP model is Rs 19,041 crore.

Further, the revised strategy also includes creation, upgradation, operation, maintenance and utilisation of BharatNet by the concessionaire selected through a competitive international bidding process.

(Edited by Ridhika Joshi)

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