Telangana clears path for doorstep internet connectivity

1. State signs agreement with Centre under Amended BharatNet Programme
2. Rs 3,185 cr sanctioned for the project
3. Broadband connectivity through ring topology to 12,769 gram panchayats
4. Internet connections planned for 2.93 lakh rural households
5. Financial assistance of up to Rs 10,000 per connection
6. T MD Venu Prasad appointed CEO of TRICIL

metro india news  I hyderabad

Telangana has taken a major step towards providing internet connectivity to every household in the State. The Telangana government has entered into an agreement with the Centre to expand advanced broadband services across rural areas. Financial assistance of Rs 3,185 crore has been sanctioned to the State under the Amended BharatNet Programme (ABP), to be implemented by the Department of Telecommunications under the Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) of the Central government.

The agreement was signed between the Central and State governments at Sanchar Bhavan in New Delhi on Friday. Anudeep Durishetty, Joint Secretary, Department of IT, Electronics and Communications, signed the agreement on behalf of the State government.

Digital Bharat Nidhi Administrator Shyamal Mishra, representatives of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), and senior officials of the Telangana Rural Internet Infrastructure Corporation (TRIICL) and T-Fiber participated in the programme. Special Chief Secretary Vikas Raj and Principal Secretaries Naveen Mittal and Gaurav Uppal attended virtually.

Under the project, broadband network connectivity will be extended to all 12,769 gram panchayats in Telangana. Of these, 10,787 gram panchayats are already connected through ring topology, while 1,946 gram panchayats currently operating under linear topology will be upgraded to ring topology. A new ring topology network will also be established in another 36 gram panchayats. This will ensure faster and uninterrupted internet services in rural areas.

Venu Prasad to head TRIICL

Special emphasis will be laid on last-mile connectivity in rural areas. A proposal to provide broadband connections to approximately 2.93 lakh rural households, with financial assistance of around Rs 10,000 per connection, has been approved. An estimated Rs 300 crore will be required for this component, bringing internet services directly to rural homes.

The Amended BharatNet Programme will be implemented in Telangana through the Telangana Rural Internet Infrastructure Corporation Limited (TRIICL). The special-purpose organisation was established in June 2026 as a joint initiative of the Central and State governments. T MD Venu Prasad is serving as its CEO.

While T-Fiber will manage network infrastructure up to district and mandal headquarters, TRIICL will take responsibility for implementing and maintaining the BharatNet network from mandal headquarters to gram panchayats.

Permission has also been granted to invite tenders for setting up a new optical fibre cable (OFC) network in Khammam, Rangareddy and Nizamabad districts. A plan has been drawn up to undertake the maintenance and repair of this network for 10 years. Approval has also been granted for monetising the BharatNet infrastructure by putting it to commercial use to generate revenue.

Digital services for education, healthcare and agriculture

Once completed, the project is expected to significantly expand online education, telemedicine and e-governance services in rural areas. It will also facilitate the delivery of various government services digitally, including through Rythu Vedikas. People in rural and remote areas will have access to internet services on a par with those available in urban centres.

The programme will be implemented in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Digital India vision, under the leadership of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and the guidance of IT and Industries Minister Duddilla Sridhar Babu.

The agreement is expected to play a crucial role in strengthening Telangana's digital infrastructure and bridging the digital divide through coordination between the Central and State governments. With central financial assistance of Rs 3,185 crore, the programme is set to give a major boost to rural internet connectivity in Telangana. With TRIICL coordinating the initiative, the expansion of broadband services from rural areas to households across the State has received a major impetus.