- Sector: Telecom
- Scope: Fibre connectivity to 250,000 gram panchayats
- Investment: Rs 450 billion-Rs 500 billion
- Ownership: Government (central)
- Implementing agency: Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL)
- Mode of implementation: EPC and non-EPC (Phase II)
- Start date: 2012
- Expected completion: August 2021
The BharatNet project aims at connecting all gram panchayats in India with high speed optic fibre cable (OFC). Much of the groundwork was laid in 2014, with the target of connecting 100,000 gram panchayats (GPs) under Phase I and another 150,000 GPs under Phase II. Phase I was completed in December 2017 and was executed by three CPSUs – BSNL, Powergrid and RailTel. In July 2017, the government decided to increase the scope of Phase I to 125,000 GPs, and came out with a different implementation model for connecting the balance 125,000 GPs. In Phase II, the states are also involved in implementation along with CPSUs. The eight states – Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Gujarat – have been allocated 50 per cent of the total work under Phase II, for execution in EPC mode. Under Phase II, about 21,555 GPs have been connected so far. In terms of OFC deployment, a total of 443,000 km fibre has been laid under both phases.