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సైన్స్ మరియు టెక్నాలజీGS3
GS3

Amended BharatNet Program Implementation in Maharashtra

Source:PIB ↗

ఇది ఎందుకు ముఖ్యం

The implementation of the Amended BharatNet Program via Digital BharatNidhi highlights India's strategic push to expand robust optical fiber and broadband connectivity to rural and remote gram panchayats, which is critical for inclusive growth, e-governance, bridging the digital divide, and empowering the rural economy.

సారాంశం

An agreement was signed between Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) under the Department of Telecommunications, the Government of Maharashtra, BSNL, MahaIT, and MDIL for the rollout and implementation of the Amended BharatNet Program in Maharashtra. The initiative aims to enhance rural digital infrastructure, bridge the urban-rural digital divide, and expand high-speed broadband connectivity across villages in the state.

ముఖ్య అంశాలు

  • An agreement was signed between Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), Department of Telecommunications, Government of Maharashtra, MDIL, BSNL, and MahaIT.
  • The agreement focuses on the implementation of the Amended BharatNet Program in Maharashtra to bridge the digital divide.
  • BharatNet aims to connect rural and remote areas with high-speed broadband infrastructure, leveraging cooperative federalism and public-private partnerships (BSNL, MahaIT, MDIL).
  • Digital Bharat Nidhi (formerly Universal Service Obligation Fund - USOF) finances telecommunication services in underserved rural areas.

ముఖ్యమైన పదాలు

BharatNet Program

A flagship national initiative aiming to provide high-speed broadband connectivity to all Gram Panchayats and villages across India to bridge the digital divide.

UPSC context

UPSC Mains GS Paper III (Infrastructure, Digital Economy); tests knowledge of government schemes for rural digital connectivity.

Source
Amended BharatNet Program

The updated and expanded framework of BharatNet approved to provide robust, future-ready, and on-demand broadband connectivity using an IP-MPLS ring-based architecture across Indian villages.

UPSC context

UPSC Prelims/Mains: Important governance and digital infrastructure upgrade initiatives.

Source
Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN)

A newly established funding mechanism under the Telecommunications Act of 2023 that replaces the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) to finance telecom development in rural and underserved areas.

UPSC context

UPSC Prelims (Polity/Economy): Key institutional mechanism under the Telecommunications Act, 2023.

Source

ప్రిలిమ్స్ ఉచ్చు

Digital Bharat Nidhi is an independent private equity fund set up outside the Department of Telecommunications.

Aspirants often assume Digital Bharat Nidhi is a newly created autonomous corporate body rather than the statutory successor (via the 2023 Act) of the erstwhile USOF under the DoT.

అనుసంధానమైన స్థిర భావనలు

Economy / Infrastructure (Telecommunications)

What was the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) and how has it been reformed?

  • Origin & Funding: Established under the Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Act, 2003, financed via Universal Access Levy (UAL) on telecom operators.
  • Telecommunications Act 2023: Replaced and expanded into Digital Bharat Nidhi under Section 24(1) of the Telecommunications Act, 2023, broadening mandate beyond voice to digital services.
  • Core Objective: Primary objective is providing universal access and bridging the digital divide in rural, remote, and underserved areas.

అంతర-అంశ నమూనాలు

  • USOF to Digital Bharat Nidhi & Fiscal Federalism

    Universal Service Obligation Fund's transition to Digital Bharat Nidhi under the Telecommunications Act 2023 links telecom funding reform with fiscal federalism debates.

  • BharatNet Broadband & Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)

    BharatNet rural broadband rollout serves as the foundational physical layer for implementing digital public infrastructure (DPI) in remote areas.

Digital BharatNidhi's statutory evolution from USOF under the Telecom Act 2023 is a prime target for a direct statement-based prelims Q.

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