ENA Sectors 2025-07-02 16:02:54 <p><span style="font-size:14px"><strong>New Delhi, Jul 2 (KNN)</strong> The government has announced plans to invest an additional USD 18 billion in expanding and maintaining rural broadband infrastructure across the country.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">The initiative aims to connect 40,000 additional gram panchayats and provide high-speed internet access to 15 million rural households through targeted subsidies.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development, Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, made the announcement during the India Mobile Congress 2025 roadshow held in Bengaluru.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">The event was organised jointly by the Department of Telecommunications and the Cellular Operators Association of India.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">Pemmasani emphasised the transformation of India's telecommunications landscape, stating that the digital divide observed over a decade ago has evolved into digital dominance.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">The country currently maintains nearly 1.2 billion mobile subscribers, representing the world's second-largest mobile network.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">According to the minister, approximately one billion Indians now have access to broadband connectivity, marking a 1,452 percent increase compared to figures from ten years ago.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">The expansion has been facilitated through the BharatNet initiative, which has successfully connected close to 220,000 villages across the nation.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">The government's rural connectivity efforts have achieved significant milestones, with over 95 percent of villages now having access to 4G networks.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">Additionally, India has implemented what officials describe as the world's fastest 5G network rollout, further strengthening the country's telecommunications infrastructure.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">This investment represents a continuation of India's broader digital infrastructure development strategy, focusing particularly on bridging connectivity gaps in rural areas and ensuring equitable access to high-speed internet services across diverse geographical regions.</span></p> <p><em><strong><span style="font-size:14px">(KNN Bureau)</span></strong></em></p> 42663 https://knnindia.co.in/news/newsdetails/sectors/government-to-invest-usd-18-bn-in-rural-broadband-expansion 2025-07-02 16:02:54 knnindia.co.in