Digital Bharat Nidhi Signs Chhattisgarh BharatNet Pact
Why in the news
Chhattisgarh signed up for the Amended BharatNet Programme through a four-party agreement led by Digital Bharat Nidhi, which sits under the Department of Telecommunications.
Key facts
- Agreement parties: DBN, the state BharatNet infrastructure company CSBIL, BSNL and the CHiPS society.
- Model: State-led.
- Programme: Amended BharatNet Programme (ABP).
Amended BharatNet Programme
- Upgrade and widen the present BharatNet network.
- Provide future-ready broadband to Gram Panchayats and villages when there is demand.
- Demand-based connection moves the focus from laying fibre everywhere to serving real users.
| Digital Bharat Nidhi | Detail |
|---|---|
| Earlier name | Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) |
| Renamed under | Telecommunications Act, 2023 |
| Effective from | 31 August 2024 |
| Funding | Universal Service Levy paid by operators |
Exam angle
- Former name of DBN: USOF.
- Parent ministry: Communications, via the Department of Telecommunications.
- Fund source: Universal Service Levy.