The Union Minister of Finance Shri Pranab Mukherjee, while presenting the Union Budget for 2011-12, has announced that Bharat Nirman package consisting of 6 flagship programme has been allocated Rs.58,000 crore, which represents an increase of Rs.10,000 crore from the current year. Bharat Nirman package includes Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme, Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana, Indira Awas Yojana, National Rural Drinking Water Programme and Rural telephony.

Shri Mukherjee emphasized that the Government’s flagship programmes have been the principal instrument for implementing its agenda for inclusive development.

With a view to take INTERNET at the grass root level, the Finance Minister said that a plan has been finalized to provide Rural Broadband Connectivity to all 2,50,000 Panchayats in the country in three years.

Rural Broadband Connectivity expansion to deliver internet access to all panchayats under central allocation and phased rollout. Central budgetary support for the Bharat Nirman package is increased to strengthen six flagship rural programmes and sustain inclusive development. A national plan is announced to provide Rural Broadband Connectivity to all panchayats through a phased rollout, linking central funding to implementation of broadband infrastructure and integration with rural telephony and digital inclusion objectives.