Excelsior Correspondent
LADAKH, Sept 2: Amit Sharma, Secretary, Information Technology (IT), Union Territory of Ladakh, visited the Union Ministry of Telecom on Friday.
During his visit, he engaged in a series of meetings with key officials from the Ministry, including Deputy Director General Telecom Bhagwat Vishwakarma, Director CM BSNL Sandeep Govil, GM BSNL 4G Reena Malhotra, and Finance Head Sathish Kumar.
A statement said that Sharma’s primary agenda was to advocate for the urgent implementation of 4G saturation and the erection of USOF (Universal Service Obligation Fund) towers across Ladakh, particularly in the twin districts of Leh and Kargil, before the onset of the harsh winter in 2023.
He stressed that ensuring mobile connectivity in all corners of the Union Territory was a top priority for the UT Administration.
Notably, LG Brig Dr BD Mishra (Retd) had already discussed this critical issue with Union Telecom Minister Ashwani Vaishnav, receiving assurances of swift action.
During the meetings, Amit Sharma revealed that necessary clearances had been obtained for tower installation in forest areas, including approval from the National Wildlife Board. Demand Notes had also been issued, enabling BSNL to proceed with tower installations once the requisite fees were deposited.
Crucially, Deputy Director General Telecom Ministry and BSNL Authorities committed to making every effort to install a minimum of 75 towers in remote Ladakh areas before the impending winter.
They pledged to mobilize both infrastructure and human resources to meet this target in the coming days.
Amit Sharma concluded the meeting by highlighting the need for auction vendors like Jio, TCS, and Pace Digitek to expedite their efforts to facilitate 4G saturation and the construction of USOF towers.
The Ministry officials assured him that they would closely monitor progress on a weekly basis to ensure that Ladakh achieved 4G saturation within the specified timelines.
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