Digital Bharat Nidhi and Andhra Pradesh sign pact for Amended BharatNet; ₹2,432 crore approved
Digital Bharat Nidhi and the Government of Andhra Pradesh signed a Memorandum of Cooperation for faster rollout of the Amended BharatNet Programme in the State at Tadepalle, Guntur district, on 22 February 2026, with ₹2,432 crore of central support approved.
Summary
Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) of the Department of Telecommunications and the Government of Andhra Pradesh signed a Memorandum of Cooperation for faster rollout of the Amended BharatNet Programme in the State at the Chief Minister's camp office in Tadepalle, Guntur district, on 22 February 2026, in the presence of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. The Centre has approved ₹2,432 crore for the State, where a new SPV, Andhra Pradesh BharatNet Infrastructure Limited (APBIL), will cover 13,426 Gram Panchayats — upgrading 1,692 Phase I panchayats from linear to ring topology — plus 3,942 villages on demand. Scindia described Amended BharatNet, approved by the Union Cabinet on 4 August 2023, as a $16.9 billion (₹1,39,000 crore) programme to take optical fibre to every village.
Key facts
- Date
- 22 February 2026, Tadepalle, Guntur district
- Parties
- Digital Bharat Nidhi (DoT) and Government of Andhra Pradesh
- Central support
- ₹2,432 crore
- Implementing SPV
- Andhra Pradesh BharatNet Infrastructure Limited (APBIL)
- Scope
- 13,426 Gram Panchayats + 3,942 villages on demand
- Amended BharatNet
- Cabinet approval 4 August 2023; ₹1,39,000 crore
Practice MCQs 3 questions
How much central financial support has been approved for the Amended BharatNet Programme in Andhra Pradesh, under the pact signed in February 2026?
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Correct answer: B — ₹2,432 crore
The Government of India has approved ₹2,432 crore for implementing Amended BharatNet in Andhra Pradesh.
Which body of the Department of Telecommunications signed the February 2026 Memorandum of Cooperation with Andhra Pradesh for Amended BharatNet?
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Correct answer: D — Digital Bharat Nidhi
The Memorandum was signed between Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) of the Department of Telecommunications and the Government of Andhra Pradesh.
Consider the following statements about the Amended BharatNet Programme: 1. It was approved by the Union Cabinet on 4 August 2023. 2. In Andhra Pradesh, it will be implemented directly by Bharat Broadband Network Limited without any State SPV. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 only
Only 1 is correct. The Cabinet approved Amended BharatNet on 4 August 2023; in Andhra Pradesh it will be implemented through a new SPV, Andhra Pradesh BharatNet Infrastructure Limited (APBIL).