Digital Bharat Nidhi signs agreement to roll out the Amended BharatNet Program in Jharkhand with ₹1,684 crore support
On 10 September 2026, Digital Bharat Nidhi signed an agreement with the Jharkhand government, JDICL, BSNL and JCNL to implement the Amended BharatNet Program in Jharkhand, covering 4,395 gram panchayats.
Summary
Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) of the Department of Telecommunications signed an agreement on 10 September 2026 at Sanchar Bhawan, New Delhi, with the Government of Jharkhand, Jharkhand Digital Infrastructure Corporation Limited (JDICL), BSNL and Jharkhand Communication Network Limited to implement the Amended BharatNet Program in Jharkhand under the State-led model. The Centre has provided ₹1,684 crore. The project, run through the new SPV JDICL, covers 4,395 gram panchayats, including upgrading 4,387 from linear to ring topology, and on-demand connectivity to 26,777 villages, with over four lakh rural home fibre connections expected. The Union Cabinet approved the Amended BharatNet Program on 4 August 2023. DBN is the former Universal Service Obligation Fund, renamed under the Telecommunications Act, 2023.
Key facts
- Agreement
- 10 Sep 2026 — DBN, Jharkhand govt, JDICL, BSNL, JCNL
- Model
- State-led; SPV JDICL
- Funding
- ₹1,684 crore central support
- Coverage
- 4,395 gram panchayats; 26,777 villages on demand
- Upgrade
- 4,387 GPs from linear to ring topology
- Programme
- Amended BharatNet — Cabinet approval 4 Aug 2023
- DBN
- Erstwhile USOF; renamed under Telecommunications Act, 2023
Practice MCQs 3 questions
How many gram panchayats does the Amended BharatNet Program in Jharkhand, agreed on 10 September 2026, cover?
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Correct answer: B — 4,395
The programme covers 4,395 gram panchayats and on-demand connectivity to 26,777 villages.
Digital Bharat Nidhi, which signed the BharatNet agreement with Jharkhand, was earlier known as what?
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Correct answer: B — Universal Service Obligation Fund
DBN is the erstwhile Universal Service Obligation Fund, which became Digital Bharat Nidhi under the Telecommunications Act, 2023.
Consider the following about the Amended BharatNet Program: 1. It was approved by the Union Cabinet on 4 August 2023. 2. In Jharkhand it will be implemented by BSNL alone under a Centre-led model. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 only
Only statement 1 is correct. The Cabinet approved the programme on 4 August 2023; in Jharkhand it follows the State-led model through the SPV JDICL.