Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a post-Budget webinar on “Investing in People, Economy, and Innovation” on Wednesday, emphasizing the government’s commitment to investing in education, healthcare, and skill development. The webinar, part of the Union Budget 2025-26 outreach sessions, highlighted initiatives to enhance broadband connectivity in government secondary schools and primary health centers, aiming to bridge the urban-rural digital divide.
Broadband Expansion for Education and Healthcare
The initiative focuses on enabling e-learning platforms, virtual labs, digital literacy, telemedicine, and electronic health records. This digital expansion is expected to empower rural communities through seamless connectivity, e-governance, and economic opportunities, making quality education and healthcare more accessible across India.
PM Modi underscored that investment in people is as crucial as investment in infrastructure and industries. “The vision of investing in people stands on three pillars – education, skill, and healthcare,” he said. He also noted that telemedicine services are being expanded to all primary health centers nationwide as part of this transformative approach.
Union Minister of Communications and Development of the North Eastern Region, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, highlighted the significance of broadband connectivity, saying that it would “redefine education, healthcare, and governance in rural India.” He announced an investment of $16.1 billion in what will be the world’s largest rural broadband network, describing it as a “digital highway” that will connect citizens across the country and the world.
Scindia stressed that this initiative would revolutionize education by introducing smart classrooms, AI-powered learning, and virtual teacher training programs. He also highlighted its impact on healthcare, stating, “This BharatNet program will allow telemedicine, e-consultation, and digital health records to be accessible at the doorstep of every Indian.” He emphasized that rural patients will no longer have to travel to district hospitals, as virtual networks will facilitate doctor consultations and referrals.
The initiative is also expected to drive economic empowerment by creating new opportunities for rural entrepreneurship. Scindia described it as a “social and development revolution” that ensures universal digital access and equal opportunities for all citizens.
BharatNet Program: Expanding Connectivity Nationwide
The BharatNet project is being implemented in phases to provide broadband connectivity to all Gram Panchayats and villages on demand. The initiative aims to improve education, healthcare, and e-governance by leveraging digital infrastructure.
The amended BharatNet program is now being executed under the Design, Build, Operate, and Maintain (DBOM) model, featuring an upgraded IP-MPLS network, expansion of coverage in uncovered areas, and a 10-year operation and maintenance plan. BSNL has been designated as the Project Management Agency for its execution.
Under the initiative, 1.5 crore rural households will receive fiber broadband connections over the next five years, with a focus on connecting government institutions such as schools, primary health centers, Anganwadi centers, and Panchayat offices. The program will be implemented through BharatNet Udyamis (BNUs), including village-level entrepreneurs, internet service providers, and self-help groups, who will receive financial incentives for providing last-mile connectivity.
To ensure seamless execution, the Ministries of Education and Health & Family Welfare will equip schools and primary health centers with the necessary digital infrastructure. BSNL will map these institutions to the BharatNet network, ensuring a high network uptime of over 90%. A real-time monitoring dashboard will be deployed for performance tracking and transparency.
