The Government of India through Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) has signed a quadripartite Agreement with Government of Gujarat, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Gujarat Fibre Grid Network Limited (GFGNL) under the Amended BharatNet Program (ABP). The agreement enables handing over of all the BharatNet works, activities and responsibilities including all related and incidental matters in Gujarat to GFGNL and enables GFGNL to undertake ABP schemes.

This agreement marks a major milestone in Gujarat’s ongoing strides in rural digital infrastructure and comes after the state received in-principle approval of Rs 56.31 billion for capital expenditure and 10 years of operations and maintenance. Gujarat holds the distinction of being the first among eight states in the country undertaking BharatNet under state-led model and to secure approval for the ABP.

The DBN and state government aims to achieve more than 98 per cent service uptime even in the remotest parts of Gujarat through upgraded and future-ready digital connectivity infrastructure.

The successful rollout of Amended BharatNet will enable seamless and uniform digital connectivity across all 14,654-gram panchayats (GPs) and all non-GP villages in Gujarat on demand basis. With state-of-the-art infrastructure and a target of over 98 per cent service uptime, the programme will provide rural communities with high-speed internet access and reliable digital platforms, enhancing education, healthcare, livelihoods, and overall quality of life. Meanwhile, this initiative will empower government departments to directly engage with citizens through digital governance and value-added services tailored for farmers, students, women, and consumers, driving inclusive growth and improving the livelihood index of previously underserved populations.

The execution of the ABP will further reinforce the distinctiveness of Gujarat government, establishing a futuristic, telecom-grade network to support integrated governance, digital commerce, and community empowerment across remote regions.

The project will also unlock the full value of the fibre infrastructure through innovations such as:

  • Fibre to far-flung towers – Boosting mobile connectivity and signal strength in rural areas.
  • Fibre to field offices – Enabling real-time, grassroots-level governance.
  • Fibre to families – Delivering high-speed broadband with value-added digital services.
  • Fibre to financial enterprises – Facilitating rural fintech growth and entrepreneurship.