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While releasing the Union Budget 2025-26, Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a post budget webinar unveiled the transformative vision of the Union Budget 2025-26, highlighting the imperative to have balanced investments in infrastructure, industries, people and innovation to develop a strong workforce and drive economic growth. In his speech, he emphasized that the government has made education, skill development and healthcare investments as a priority to develop an empowered and skilled workforce. He also added that these investments would be major drivers in making the country’s economic foundations stronger.
One of the most important announcements was the widening of broadband connectivity in rural India. In the BharatNet initiative, all Government Secondary Schools and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in rural areas will be networked and this has to tap a huge potential for education, healthcare and economic opportunities. The digital infrastructure for this will help bridge the urban-rural gap by providing e-learning, telemedicine and e-governance bringing critical services closer to remote populations.
Hon'ble PM Shri @narendramodi addressed the Post-Budget Webinar on boosting job creation – Investing in People, Economy, and Innovation today.
— DoT India (@DoT_India) March 5, 2025
The post-budget webinar highlighted the transformative impact of broadband connectivity in education & health sectors in rural areas. pic.twitter.com/CEVdZIVwsp
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Union Minister for Communications, Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia underscored that the broadband program would revolutionize rural India’s education, healthcare and governance. He pointed out that the project worth $16.1 billion is the largest rural broadband network globally. This broadband network will make millions empowered with uninterrupted access to digital education, telemedicine consultations and entrepreneurship opportunities.
The BharatNet initiative, aimed at connecting 1.5 crore rural homes with broadband will be launched through a tripartite collaboration between the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Department of Telecommunications. It is a landmark initiative towards digital empowerment and economic upliftment in rural India for a prosperous future.
