The Centre on Wednesday approved ₹2,432 crore in financial support for the rollout of the Amended BharatNet Programme (ABP) in Andhra Pradesh, targeting broadband connectivity across 13,426 Gram Panchayats and over 5 lakh rural home fibre connections. The move marks one of the largest single-state digital infrastructure commitments under the revamped BharatNet framework.

A formal agreement was signed in New Delhi on 13 May 2025 between Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), the Government of Andhra Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh BharatNet Infrastructure Limited (APBIL), Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), and Andhra Pradesh State FiberNet Limited (APSFL).

What the Programme Covers

APBIL will lead implementation across three distinct categories of Gram Panchayats. The plan upgrades 1,692 Phase-I Gram Panchayats from linear to ring topology — a structural shift designed to improve network resilience and reduce single-point failures. An additional 11,254 Phase-II Gram Panchayats will be brought under coverage, alongside 480 newly created Gram Panchayats.

Beyond the Gram Panchayat grid, connectivity will be extended on a demand basis to 3,942 villages, specifically targeting rural and remote regions where last-mile access has historically lagged.

Background: The Amended BharatNet Programme

The Union Cabinet cleared the Amended BharatNet Programme on 4 August 2023, with a mandate to upgrade, consolidate, and expand the existing BharatNet network. The core objective is to deliver robust, future-ready broadband to all Gram Panchayats and villages on a demand basis — a significant expansion from the original programme's scope.

Andhra Pradesh's inclusion in the ABP rollout reflects the state's substantial rural geography and the Centre's stated priority of closing the urban-rural digital divide. The state has an existing fibre infrastructure base through APSFL, which the new agreement is expected to build upon.

Expected Impact on Citizens

Officials indicated the programme is expected to enable more than 5 lakh rural home fibre connections with government support. Once operational, the network is projected to improve access to a range of citizen-centric services including e-governance, online education, telemedicine, and digital payments.

According to officials, the agreement is expected to accelerate execution of the ABP in Andhra Pradesh and advance the broader vision of a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy.

Significance and What Comes Next

The multi-agency agreement — spanning central and state bodies alongside public sector telecoms — signals a coordinated execution model that earlier BharatNet phases lacked. Notably, the ring topology upgrade for Phase-I panchayats addresses a long-standing criticism of the original rollout, which was vulnerable to outages due to its linear network design.

Execution timelines have not been publicly specified, but officials said the signed agreement is expected to accelerate on-ground implementation. Progress on the 3,942 demand-based village connections will be a key indicator of whether last-mile delivery matches the scale of the financial commitment.