# Punjab upgrades only 23% gram panchayats under BharatNet

2026-08-08T00:54:27+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 1 independent outlet

Only 3,069 of Punjab's 13,337 gram panchayats, about 23%, have been upgraded under the Amended BharatNet Programme approved in August 2023. The Centre told the Rajya Sabha on Thursday that delays stem from Right of Way issues and frequent fibre cable damage. Ferozepur leads with 362 upgraded panchayats, while Faridkot and Malerkotla have upgraded none. Separately, a parliamentary panel flagged that only 78,899 of about 2.64 lakh panchayats have operational BharatNet Points of Presence as of February 28. It sought a state-wise performance audit and a time-bound roadmap. Punjab was the first state to make its Phase-II panchayats service-ready in 2020, but the upgraded programme's progress remains uneven.

## Coverage

- hindustantimes.com <https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/only-23-punjab-panchayats-get-rural-broadband-upgrade-101786043395888.html>
- economictimes.indiatimes.com <https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/telecom/telecom-news/parliamentary-panel-flags-gaps-in-bharatnet-rollout-seeks-state-wise-performance-audit/articleshow/133068315.cms>

Tags: 5G rollout, BharatNet, digital connectivity, gram panchayats, Punjab, rural broadband
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