India's Internet Subscribers Surpass 950 Million

New Delhi- According to the latest data of the Ministry of Communications, the number of internet subscribers in India has crossed 950 million, with 398.35% of them living in rural areas. This is a significant increase from the 251.59 million internet subscribers that the country had in March 2014.

The country's broadband network has now spread to even the most remote areas of the country. With a minimum speed of 512 Kbps in March 2014, this definition has evolved to 2 Mbps in March 2024. This reflects a 300% increase in the average internet download speed. The download speed has also increased from 4.18 Mbps to 105.85 Mbps, which is a staggering increase of 2,432.29%.

The period between March 2014 and March 2024 saw a total growth rate of 14.26%, adding 279.34% to the total number of internet subscribers. The total number of telecom subscribers rose from 933 million to 1,199.28 million during this period, which is a 28.54% increase.

The cost of data per GB has also dropped significantly in this time period, from Rs 268.97 to Rs 9.18. This is a decrease of 96.58%. On the other hand, the average data consumption per user has increased from 0.26 GB to 20.27 GB, which is a staggering increase of 7,696%.

One of the key aims of the Digital India Initiative is to connect all Gram Panchayats (GPs) with optical fiber cable (OFC) connectivity. Under this project, 213,000 out of the 222,000 Gram Panchayats planned have now been made service-ready. The amended BharatNet Program aims to provide optical fiber connectivity to 42,000 uncovered GPs and the remaining 384,000 villages on a demand basis, along with 1.5 crore rural home fiber connections.

The government has also taken steps to promote digital literacy and create awareness about the benefits of technology among people in remote and rural areas. Through initiatives such as the Technology Incubation and Development of Entrepreneurs (TIDE 2.0), Gen-Next Support for Innovative Startups (GENESIS), domain-specific Centres of Excellence (CoEs), and the Next Generation Incubation Scheme (NGIS), the government aims to support innovation and entrepreneurship, particularly in tier-2 and tier-3 cities.

With a total funding of around Rs 800 crore, these schemes are expected to create new opportunities for growth and development in the country. The Digital India Initiative is a significant step forward in the government's efforts to provide universal access to affordable and high-speed internet to all citizens.