- Why in news
- On 10 September 2026, Digital Bharat Nidhi (DoT) signed an agreement in New Delhi with Jharkhand, JDICL, BSNL and JCNL to roll out the Amended BharatNet Program in Jharkhand, with ₹1,684 crore of support.
- What it is
- The Amended BharatNet Program (ABP) upgrades, consolidates and expands the existing BharatNet rural fibre network. It aims to give robust broadband to all Gram Panchayats and to villages on demand. It is funded through Digital Bharat Nidhi, the successor to the Universal Service Obligation Fund.
- Cabinet approval
- The Union Cabinet approved the Amended BharatNet Program on 4 August 2023.
- Implementing vehicle in Jharkhand
- A new SPV, Jharkhand Digital Infrastructure Corporation Limited (JDICL), implements the programme under the State-led model.
- Central support
- The Government of India provisioned ₹1,684 crore for Jharkhand. More than four lakh rural home fibre connections are expected with subsidy.
- Funding body
- Digital Bharat Nidhi (erstwhile USOF) is an attached office of DoT. It became DBN under the Telecommunications Act, 2023.
Don’t confuse with USOF vs Digital Bharat Nidhi: DBN is the renamed USOF under the Telecommunications Act, 2023. It is the same fund, now with a wider mandate covering underserved rural, remote and urban areas.
Don’t confuse with Linear vs ring topology: In a linear network, a break can cut off all downstream nodes. A ring network gives an alternate path, so it is more resilient.
Schemes: 52 Prelims questions since 2013, 10 in Prelims 2026 alone. They test features, the period and who funds it. In Mains, 33 news-triggered questions, mostly GS3.
Why it matters
- Ring topology makes rural networks more resilient.
- Fibre connections and on-demand village links support e-governance, telemedicine, education and digital payments.
Problems
- Fibre maintenance and right-of-way issues in remote areas may slow rollout and reliability.
- Low demand and affordability may limit actual use of home fibre connections.
Way forward
- Monitor timelines and service quality through the SPV and BSNL.
- Link connectivity to local digital services so that demand grows.
Put in your answer
Amended BharatNet approval: Cabinet approved the programme on 4 August 2023 to upgrade and expand BharatNet to all Gram Panchayats and villages on demand.
- 2013Mains GS2 · Q14Comment on PURA's connectivity basis for rural urban amenities.
- 2015Mains GS3 · Q4How Digital India helps farmers; government steps taken.
- 2019Mains GS2 · Q8Factors hindering ICT projects; measures for effective implementation.
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Rural broadband scheme run through Digital Bharat Nidhi; a state-level agreement here adds little new to test.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.