The Centre has set aside financial provisions to provide broadband internet connectivity to all government secondary schools and primary healthcare centres across the country under the existing BharatNet project, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced in Parliament on Wednesday.He said the government is scaling up Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) across the country to strengthen innovation and hands-on learning in schools. “Over the next five years, 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs will be set up in government schools,” the minister said, adding that 10,000 schools already have functional ATLs.
The broadband initiative was announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while presenting the Union Budget for 2025-26.
Broadband connectivity will be extended through the existing BharatNet initiative, which aims to provide high-speed internet access to every Gram Panchayat (village block) nationwide.