Union Budget 2019: BharatNet targetting internet connectivity in local bodies in every Panchayat to bridge rural urban digital divide

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced a new target for BharatNet, a project aimed at providing internet connectivity in every Panchayat. Sitharaman said that under the Pradhan Mantri Grameen Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA), BharatNet would be targeting internet connectivity in local bodies in every Panchayat in India. This activity is expected to be speeded up under the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF).  PMGDISHA is part of the government’s Digital India program. [caption id=“attachment_6932881” align=“alignnone” width=“380”] Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Rajya Sabha on Thursday. (Pic courtesy: Rajya Sabha TV)[/caption] The government hopes to speed up the process of bridging the gap between the rural-urban digital divide with this. According to Sitharama, over 2 crore rural Indians have so far been made digitally literate thanks to BharatNet. The government hopes to cover as many as 6 crore households as part of PMGDISHA.

Under Pradhan Mantri Grameen Digital Saksharata Abhiyan, #BharatNet is targeting internet connectivity in local bodies in every panchayat in the country; this will be speeded under Universal Service Obligation Fund : FM https://t.co/iK5EWIia1b #BudgetForNewIndia #Budget2019

— PIB India (@PIB_India) July 5, 2019

The Minister also announced that 35 crore LED bulbs would be distributed under the Ujala Yojana.   _Follow LIVE Updates on Union Budget 2019 here_