Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Digital India 3.0 initiative from New Delhi, announcing free 5G internet connectivity for all government schools and colleges in rural areas across India. The ₹75,000 crore programme will be implemented over the next 3 years by the Ministry of Electronics and IT.
Under Digital India 3.0, 1.2 lakh government higher education institutions will receive high-speed fiber and 5G connectivity by 2028. Each institution will also receive smart classroom equipment including projectors, tablets, and AI-enabled teaching tools.
The initiative also includes the National Digital Literacy Mission 3.0 which aims to make 10 crore people digitally literate by 2028, focusing on women, senior citizens, and economically weaker sections in rural India.
For J&K specifically, the government has announced a special ₹3,200 crore allocation under Digital India 3.0 to upgrade connectivity in remote areas of Ladakh, Kashmir valley, and hilly districts of Jammu region.
Private telecom companies including Jio, Airtel, and BSNL will partner with the government under a public-private model to provide last-mile connectivity in 50,000+ villages that currently have no internet access.
