New Delhi, Aug 30 (PTI) The government has started internet services in 31,680 out of 2.5 lakh village panchayats under the Bharat Net project, Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha said today.

"Total of 31,680 gram panchayat have been provided internet services under this (Bharat Net) initiative till August 28," Sinha said in a tweet.

The Bharat Net project aims to connect 2.5 lakh village panchayats with high-speed broadband by March 2019.

As of July 2017, 2,21,925 kms of optical fibre cable (OFC), covering 1,00,299 gram panchayats (GPs), was laid and 25,426 GPs provided with broadband connectivity.

The Bharat Net project, formerly National Optical Fibre Network, was approved in October 2011. PTI PRS ABM