India, April 6 -- The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has flagged lapses in the functioning of Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), criticising the rural telecom fund for failing to recover Rs 8.49 crore in penalties from Bharti Airtel. The dues have remained outstanding for four years, according to the audit report dated 2 April 2026.

The findings, tabled in Parliament, highlight persistent delays in network roll-out and raise broader concerns around governance in publicly funded telecom infrastructure projects.

DBN had signed a contract with Bharti Airtel in December 2017 to provide mobile coverage in Assam and Sikkim, with a deadline of June 2019. However, the project has faced repeated delays despite multiple extensions.

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