Consider the following about BharatNet project.

Solution

Union Cabinet has accorded approval for the revised implementation strategy of BharatNet through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode in 16 States of the country. The government will provide Rs 19,041 crore as viability gap funding for the project. BharatNet will now extend up to all inhabited villages beyond the gram panchayats (GPs) in the said states. It includes creation, up gradation, operation, maintenance and utilisation of BharatNet by the concessionaire who will be selected by a competitive international bidding process.     BharatNet Project was originally launched in 2011 as the National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) and renamed as Bharat-Net in 2015. It seeks to provide connectivity to 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats (GPs) through optical fibre.  It is a flagship mission implemented by Bharat Broadband Network Ltd. (BBNL). The objective is to facilitate the delivery of e-governance, e-health, e-education, e-banking, Internet and other services to rural India.   Implementation: The project is a Centre-State collaborative project, with the States contributing free Rights of Way for establishing the Optical Fibre Network. The entire project is being funded by Universal service Obligation Fund (USOF), which was set up for improving telecom services in rural and remote areas of the country.