Key Facts

Department of Telecommunications data obtained under the RTI Act show villages without serviceable internet fell from 45,180 in 2022 to 11,372, beyond the scheme's original target, helped by private operators; the Centre has sanctioned an order for 26,000 more sites. Under the 4G saturation project, BSNL sets up indigenous 4G towers in previously uncovered villages, funded through the Digital Bharat Nidhi, formerly the Universal Service Obligation Fund; its initial target was 24,680 villages.

GK Context

The Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), renamed the Digital Bharat Nidhi in 2023 under the Telecommunications Act, 2023, finances telecom infrastructure in rural and remote areas that are commercially unviable for private operators, funded by a levy on telecom service providers' revenues. BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited) has been central to India's push for indigenous 4G technology (developed with C-DOT and TCS), reducing reliance on foreign telecom equipment vendors for strategic communications infrastructure.