Latest news with #AmendedBharatNetProgramme
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Centre, Gujarat govt join hands to bring high-speed internet to all villages under BharatNet programme
New Delhi: In a major boost to rural connectivity , the Centre in partnership with the Gujarat government , on Tuesday, took a big step towards providing high-speed internet access to villages across the state. With a goal of more than 98% service uptime, the amended BharatNet programme will ensure that even the most remote parts of Gujarat have access to reliable digital platforms, helping to improve education, healthcare, livelihoods, and overall quality of life. A quadripartite agreement was signed in Gandhinagar between the Indian government's Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), the Gujarat government, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited ( BSNL ), and Gujarat Fibre Grid Network Limited (GFGNL). This agreement hands over all BharatNet-related responsibilities in Gujarat to GFGNL and allows the agency to implement the updated scheme under the Amended BharatNet Programme. This partnership marks a significant milestone for Gujarat, which is the first among eight states to adopt the BharatNet project under the state-led model. The state has already received in-principle approval of Rs 5,631 crore for capital expenditure and 10 years of maintenance support for the project. The project aims to connect all 14,654 gram panchayats and non-gram panchayat villages across Gujarat with fast, stable internet. By building a future-ready digital infrastructure, the initiative is expected to support local communities through improved access to digital services . Government departments will be able to connect with citizens more directly, delivering services tailored to the needs of farmers, women, students and entrepreneurs. The network will also open doors for innovation. With fibre connectivity reaching mobile towers, field offices, families and financial businesses, the programme will boost mobile signals, enable real-time governance, offer household broadband, and support rural fintech and startups. Under the broader Amended BharatNet Programme, the government plans to provide optical fibre connectivity to 2.64 lakh gram panchayats and about 3.8 lakh non-gram panchayat villages across the country. The Union Cabinet had approved the scheme on August 4, 2023, with a total programme cost of Rs 1.39 lakh crore. BSNL will serve as the project management agency, with professional partners executing the work under the "Design, Build, Operate, and Maintain model". The project will ensure high-speed internet with a minimum download speed of 25 Mbps for each Fiber-to-the-Home user. Over the next five years, 1.5 crore rural homes, institutions and enterprises across the country are expected to benefit from this massive digital transformation.
Business Standard
18-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Polycab India signs Rs 6,448-cr deal with BSNL for BharatNet project
Polycab India said that it has executed a contract worth Rs 6,447.54 crore with Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL) to act as the project implementation agency (PIA) for the BharatNet project in Karnataka, Goa, and Puducherry. The agreement, part of package 4 of the Amended BharatNet Programme, covers design, supply, construction, installation, upgradation, operation, and maintenance of the middle-mile network infrastructure. According to a stock exchange filing, Polycab India has entered into an agreement with Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL) to act as the Project Implementation Agency (PIA) for the design, supply, construction, installation, upgradation, operation, and maintenance of the middle-mile network under BharatNet in the Karnataka, Goa, and Puducherry Telecom Circles. The project, under Package No. 4, is valued at Rs 6,447.54 crores (inclusive of GST), comprising Rs 3,741.92 crores for capital expenditure (Capex), Rs 2,245.15 crores for operating expenses (Opex) for the newly constructed network, and Rs 460.47 crores for Opex of the existing network. The construction is to be completed within three years, followed by a maintenance contract for a period of 10 years. The maintenance cost will be 5.5% per annum of Capex for the first five years, and 6.5% per annum of Capex for the subsequent five years. The firm stated that the promoter/promoter group or group companies have any interest in the entity that awarded the order(s)/contract(s), the company has stated that there is no such interest. Polycab India is the largest manufacturer of wires and cables in India and a fast-growing player in the Fast Moving Electrical Goods (FMEG) space. The Group is also in the business of engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) projects. The companys consolidated net profit spiked 32.68% to Rs 734.40 crore on a 24.92% rise in revenue from operations to Rs 6,985.8 crore in Q4 FY25 over Q4 FY24. Shares of Polycab India rose 0.24% to Rs 6,055.70 on the BSE.
