BharatNet Maharashtra: ₹10,520 crore amended agreement signed
Why in the news
On 1 October 2026, an amended BharatNet Programme agreement for Maharashtra was signed at Sanchar Bhavan, New Delhi, to extend high-speed fibre connectivity across rural parts of the state.
Key facts
- Signatories: Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), Department of Telecommunications, Government of Maharashtra, MahaNET Digital Infrastructure Ltd (MDIL), BSNL and Maharashtra Information Technology Corporation Ltd (MahaIT).
- Outlay: ₹10,520 crore approved for Maharashtra.
- Coverage: 28,237 gram panchayats, plus demand-based connectivity to 15,799 villages.
- Households: more than 9 lakh rural homes to receive fibre connections.
- Model: state-led, with MDIL as the implementing agency.
| Component | Gram panchayats |
|---|---|
| Phase one: linear to ring topology upgrade | 15,171 |
| Phase two | 12,740 |
| Newly formed panchayats | 326 |
| Total | 28,237 |
About BharatNet and Digital Bharat Nidhi
The Union Cabinet approved the Amended BharatNet Programme on 4 August 2023. It is funded through Digital Bharat Nidhi, the successor to the Universal Service Obligation Fund, renamed under the Telecommunications Act, 2023. DBN supports telecom services in under-served rural and remote areas through schemes such as BharatNet and 4G saturation. Shyamal Mishra, DBN Administrator, attended the signing.
Exam angle
- BharatNet is funded by Digital Bharat Nidhi under DoT.
- Maharashtra: ₹10,520 crore, 28,237 gram panchayats, MDIL as implementing agency.
- Amended BharatNet Programme approved by Cabinet on 4 August 2023.