Digital Bharat Nidhi and Andhra Pradesh partner for BharatNet rollout

New Delhi :Digital Bharat Nidhi and the Government of Andhra Pradesh signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) on Sunday to fast-track the Amended BharatNet Programme (ABP), aimed at bringing high-speed broadband to every village in the state.

The agreement was formalized on Feb. 22 at the Chief Minister’s Camp Office in the presence of Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, and Minister of State for Communications Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar.

The Government of India has approved ₹2,432 crore in financial support for the initiative in Andhra Pradesh. This funding is expected to facilitate over 500,000 rural home fiber connections, boosting digital governance, telemedicine, and online education in remote areas.

“Amended BharatNet is a $16.9 billion publicly funded program… which will take OFC fiber and broadband to every single village of this country,” Minister Scindia said. He described the effort as the “democratization of technology” for every citizen.

Chief Minister Naidu called the memorandum a milestone for the state’s digital transformation, noting that seamless connectivity would empower rural communities and enhance healthcare and education delivery.The project will be executed through a new Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), Andhra Pradesh BharatNet Infrastructure Limited (APBIL). The scope of the program covers 13,426 Gram Panchayats, including:

The upgradation of 1,692 Phase I Gram Panchayats from linear to ring topology to improve network resilience.
The coverage of 11,254 Phase II Gram Panchayats.
The inclusion of 480 newly created Gram Panchayats.
On-demand connectivity for 3,942 additional villages to strengthen last-mile access.

Under the agreement, the state government will provide essential support for implementation, including coordination for Right of Way (RoW) and infrastructure access. Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar noted that the partnership provides a sustainable framework for swift implementation, ensuring that rural citizens gain access to affordable and dependable digital services.