Government plans to complete the BharatNet project by August 2023
More than 1.5 lakh Gram Panchayats connected through broadband service with BharatNet Project
New Delhi: Government has been implementing eGramSwaraj under e-Panchayat Mission Mode Project, as a part of Digital India Program, in the country to revamp the functioning of Panchayats. eGramSwaraj addresses various aspects of Panchayat functioning viz. planning, accounting, budgeting including online payments through eGramSwaraj-PFMS Interface for services delivered.
As on date, 2,53,716 Gram Panchayat Development Plans for FY 2021-22 have been prepared. 2,25,153 GPs have adopted eGramSwaraj for the purpose of accounting in the current year 2021-22. Further, 2,24,671 Panchayati Raj Institutions have onboarded eGramSwaraj-PFMS Interface for carrying out online transactions. During 2020-21, 1,54,091 Gram Panchayats have done online payments worth cumulative of Rs. 48,299 crores (including all the onboarded schemes) through eGramSwaraj- PFMS Interface. For the current year, 2021-22, 1,09,565 Panchayati Raj Institutions have carried online payments worth Rs. 7,699 crores. State-wise breakup is given at Annexure- I.
BharatNet project is being implemented in a phased manner by Department of Telecommunications to provide broadband connectivity to all the Gram Panchayats and equivalent in the country. As on 16.07.2021, a total number of 1,58,266 GPs (including Block Head Quarters) have been made Service Ready in the country.
Due to the COVID-19 related lockdown and restrictions the targeted date for the completion of the project is extended to August 2023 from August 2021.
Annexure I
eGramSwaraj State wise Usage (2021-22)
| # | State Name | PFMS Scheme Creation | Total Number of Village Panchayats & Equivalent | Gram Panchayat Development Plans Uploaded | Gram Panchayats Ported | Total Number of Block Panchayats & Equivalent | Block Panchayats Ported | Total Number of Zilla Panchayats & Equivalent | Zilla Panchayats Ported | Village Panchayat onboard | Village Panchayats & Equivalent With Online Payment |
| 1 | ANDHRA PRADESH | 13371 | 13348 | 0 | 660 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 205 | 0 | |
| 2 | ARUNACHAL PRADESH | Y | 2106 | 1570 | 1581 | 178 | 0 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | ASSAM | Y | 2663 | 2180 | 2155 | 192 | 166 | 29 | 26 | 2197 | 1483 |
| 4 | BIHAR | Y | 8387 | 8363 | 8377 | 534 | 532 | 38 | 38 | 8381 | 6857 |
| 5 | CHHATTISGARH | Y | 11658 | 11661 | 11662 | 146 | 140 | 27 | 27 | 11656 | 4677 |
| 6 | GOA | Y | 191 | 191 | 190 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 189 | 106 |
| 7 | GUJARAT | Y | 14256 | 14037 | 13935 | 248 | 0 | 33 | 0 | 14038 | 324 |
| 8 | HARYANA | Y | 6234 | 6114 | 6172 | 126 | 120 | 21 | 21 | 6009 | 1355 |
| 9 | HIMACHAL PRADESH | Y | 3615 | 3202 | 3532 | 81 | 0 | 12 | 10 | 1055 | 21 |
| 10 | JHARKHAND | Y | 4359 | 4288 | 4362 | 263 | 258 | 24 | 24 | 4363 | 3042 |
| 11 | KARNATAKA | Y | 6006 | 5947 | 5998 | 227 | 225 | 30 | 30 | 6006 | 5301 |
| 12 | KERALA | Y | 941 | 941 | 927 | 152 | 121 | 14 | 9 | 889 | 1 |
| 13 | MADHYA PRADESH | Y | 22782 | 22686 | 22808 | 313 | 312 | 51 | 51 | 22807 | 16856 |
| 14 | MAHARASHTRA | Y | 27888 | 27869 | 26817 | 351 | 43 | 34 | 4 | 25102 | 4652 |
| 15 | MANIPUR | Y | 3812 | 2628 | 161 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 6 | 161 | 85 |
| 16 | MEGHALAYA | Y | 6758 | 0 | 0 | 2240 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | MIZORAM | Y | 834 | 834 | 834 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 834 | 388 |
| 18 | NAGALAND | Y | 1281 | 1195 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | ODISHA | Y | 6798 | 6775 | 6798 | 314 | 314 | 30 | 30 | 6798 | 5466 |
| 20 | PUNJAB | Y | 13268 | 13205 | 13157 | 151 | 146 | 22 | 21 | 13212 | 6881 |
| 21 | RAJASTHAN | Y | 11341 | 11239 | 10937 | 352 | 262 | 33 | 32 | 8858 | 3946 |
| 22 | SIKKIM | Y | 185 | 182 | 179 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 56 | 7 |
| 23 | TAMIL NADU | Y | 12525 | 12410 | 12439 | 388 | 335 | 37 | 36 | 12415 | 3248 |
| 24 | TELANGANA | 12769 | 12769 | 0 | 540 | 0 | 32 | 0 | 13 | 0 | |
| 25 | TRIPURA | Y | 1178 | 1177 | 1178 | 75 | 75 | 9 | 9 | 1178 | 564 |
| 26 | UTTARAKHAND | Y | 7791 | 7791 | 7754 | 95 | 55 | 13 | 13 | 7791 | 4161 |
| 27 | UTTAR PRADESH | Y | 58323 | 57898 | 57962 | 827 | 724 | 75 | 75 | 58621 | 37621 |
| 28 | WEST BENGAL | Y | 3340 | 3216 | 3204 | 342 | 331 | 22 | 21 | 3123 | 2523 |
| Total | 264660 | 253716 | 223119 | 8795 | 4159 | 642 | 486 | 215957 | 109565 | ||
This information was given by Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj Shri Kapil Moreshwar Patil in a written reply in Loksabha today.