New Delhi, Mar 10 (PTI) Over 1.54 lakh gram panchayats are now ready to provide high-speed broadband services under the BharatNet project, Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad informed Parliament on Wednesday.

Out of 5,97,618 inhabited villages (as per Census 2011) in the country, a total number of 5,58,537 villages have 3G or 4G mobile wireless coverage.

"BharatNet project is being implemented to connect all the GPs (approximately 2.5 lakh) by broadband/high-speed internet infrastructure in the country. As on February 26, 2021, a total number of 1,54,096 GPs, including block headquarters, have been made service ready with broadband infrastructure," Prasad said in the Lok Sabha.

The Department of Telecommunications has targeted to provide internet connectivity to 5,519 gram panchayats (GPs) through satellite media under BharatNet Project by November 2021, he added.

"As on March 1, 2021, 3,587 GPs have been connected," Prasad said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)