New Delhi (NVI): The Central Government is taking measures on priority basis to provide mobile connectivity in far-flung border areas of strategic importance, so as to ensure better quality of life to the people living or working in these areas, Union IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said today.
Prasad spoke to media after the launch of the submarine Optical Fiber Cable connecting Chennai to Port Blair in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Union telecom minister said, “a tender for 354 uncovered villages in the strategic, remote and border areas of the country has been finalised and is under implementation currently across multiple states.”
After commissioning of these villages, there will be no uncovered villages in UTs of J&K, Ladakh for mobile connectivity.
In addition to this, satellite based DSPTs (Digital Satellite Phone Terminal) are also being provided at 1347 sites for Army, BRO, BSF, CRPF, ITBP, SSB etc. Out of which 183 sites are already commissioned and remaining are in process.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), according to Prasad is also working on providing mobile connectivity in villages of 24 aspirational districts of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh, and remaining 44 Aspirational Districts for 7287 uncovered villages in Chhatisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh will also be covered for which government approval is under submission.
In India, more than 30,000 villages still lack basic telephone connectivity.
-CHK
