Applications invited for franchisee partners under BharatNet project

The Tamil Nadu FibreNet Corporation Limited (TANFINET), a Government of Tamil Nadu undertaking, has commenced the process of selecting District-Level Franchisee Partners (DLFPs) to deliver high-quality internet services in rural areas under the BharatNet project.

In a release, Villupuram Collector Sheikh Abdul Rahman said nearly 95% of the BharatNet project has been completed across 37 districts in the State. As part of the next phase, TANFINET plans to appoint a minimum of two franchisee partners in each district to ensure reliable internet connectivity at the block and gram panchayat levels. Each district will be divided into subdivisions comprising two to six blocks, based on revenue divisions.

Applicants will be allowed to apply for a maximum of two districts, restricted to the district(s) where the firm or company is operational, or where the individual applicant’s permanent address is located.

The selected franchisee partners will be responsible for the maintenance of Optical Fibre Cables (OFC) and Optical Network Terminals (ONTs), ensuring uninterrupted internet services, carrying out preventive maintenance, promptly addressing faults, adhering to Service Level Agreement (SLA) norms, and maintaining high service availability.

The application process will be conducted through the TANFINET online portal (https://tanfinet.tn.gov.in).

Applicants are required to download the relevant documents, upload the necessary supporting documents, and select the group of blocks in which they intend to operate. A refundable, interest-free application security deposit of ₹25,000 must be paid for each block division.

Upon selection, franchisee partners will be issued work orders by the TANFINET headquarters after remitting a security deposit of ₹2 lakh per block.

The TANFINET application portal will remain open till January 14, 2026. Interested and eligible applicants are asked to apply within the stipulated time, the Collector said.