Content:

1. BharatNet – Bridging the Digital Divide
2. India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023

BharatNet – Bridging the Digital Divide

• BharatNet launched in October 2011 under the Ministry of Communications to bridge India’s rural-urban digital divide.
• Aim: Affordable high-speed internet for every Gram Panchayat (GP), fostering inclusive growth and empowering rural communities.
• It serves as the backbone for India’s digital transformation.

Relevance : GS 3 (Digital Infrastructure )

Amended BharatNet Program (ABP) 2023

• Approved in August 2023 with a budget of ₹1,39,579 crores.
• Key features:
  • Ring Topology: Optical fiber connectivity from Blocks to GPs.
  • IP-MPLS Network: Advanced router infrastructure at Blocks and GPs.
  • On-demand Connectivity: For non-GP villages (~3.8 lakh).
  • Operational Support: 10 years of maintenance with centralized monitoring.
  • Power Backup and Fibre Monitoring: Enhanced resilience through the Remote Fibre Monitoring System (RFMS).

Funding: Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN)

• Replaced the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF).
• Objectives:
  • Improve telecom services in rural/remote areas.
  • Ensure equitable access to digital services.
  • Boost economic growth and connectivity.

Phases of BharatNet Implementation

1. Phase I (Completed 2017): Connected 1 lakh GPs using existing infrastructure.
2. Phase II (Completed): Extended to 1.5 lakh GPs using diverse technologies like optical fiber and satellite.
3. Phase III (Ongoing): Focuses on integrating 5G technologies, enhancing bandwidth, and last-mile connectivity.

Impact of BharatNet

• Digital Inclusion: Enabling e-governance, online education, and telemedicine in rural areas.
• Economic Growth: Facilitates digital commerce and entrepreneurial activities in underserved areas.
• Education and Healthcare: Supports digital classrooms and tele-health services, bridging resource gaps.
• Empowered Governance: Enhances transparency and efficiency in public service delivery.

Achievements as of October 2024

• 4G BTS Coverage: 24,96,644 Base Transceiver Stations across 783 districts.
• 5G Deployment: Fastest rollout globally with 4,62,084 BTS across 779 districts.
• Data Affordability: Cost reduced from ₹269/GB (2014) to ₹9.08/GB (2024).
• Connectivity Improvement: Over 6.15 lakh villages now have 4G mobile connectivity.
• Internet Speed: Median mobile broadband speed increased from 1.3 Mbps (2014) to 95.67 Mbps (2024).

India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023

Introduction

• Released by Shri Bhupender Yadav, Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, on 21st December 2024 at Forest Research Institute, Dehradun.
• Published biennially by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) since 1987.
• Based on remote sensing satellite data and field-based National Forest Inventory (NFI).
• 18th report in the series.

Relevance : GS 3(Environment )

Important Findings

Forest and Tree Cover

• Total Forest and Tree Cover: 8,27,357 sq km (25.17% of India’s geographical area).
  • Forest Cover: 7,15,343 sq km (21.76%).
    • Tree Cover: 1,12,014 sq km (3.41%).

Increase:

• Total: 1,445 sq km (Forest: 156 sq km, Tree: 1,289 sq km).
  • Top states with the highest increase in Forest and Tree Cover:
    • Chhattisgarh (684 sq km)
    • Uttar Pradesh (559 sq km)
    • Odisha (559 sq km)
    • Rajasthan (394 sq km).

Forest Cover by Area

• Largest forest cover:
  • MadhyaPradesh (77,073 sq km).
    • Arunachal Pradesh (65,882 sq km).
    • Chhattisgarh (55,812 sq km).

Percentage of Forest Cover

• Highest percentage of forest cover (with respect to geographical area):
  • Lakshadweep: 91.33%.
    • Mizoram: 85.34%.
    • Andaman & Nicobar Islands: 81.62%.

Mangrove Cover

• Total area: 4,992 sq km.

Growing Stock

• Total: 6,430 million cubic meters (cum) (4,479 million cum inside forests, 1,951 million cum outside).
  • Increase of 262 million cum compared to 2021.

Bamboo Bearing Area

• Total: 1,54,670 sq km (Increase of 5,227 sq km since 2021).

Carbon Stock

• Total: 7,285.5 million tonnes (Increase of 81.5 million tonnes since 2021).
  • India’s carbon stock has reached 30.43 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent, moving closer to the NDC target of an additional 2.5–3 billion tonnes by 2030.

Timber Production

• Annual potential: 91.51 million cum from trees outside forests.

Highlights

• 19 States/UTs have forest cover exceeding 33% of their geographical area.
  • 8 States/UTs have forest cover above 75%: Mizoram, Lakshadweep, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Manipur.
• Advanced technologies: Near real-time forest fire alerts and monitoring systems.