NEW DELHI, July 27: The government is likely to approach regulator TRAI for details of the villages in Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh that have no telecom connectivity.
“The Department of Telecom (DoT) is preparing a detailed project report on uncovered villages for which has it has asked TRAI to seek information from telecom operators on unconnected villages in J&K, Uttarakhand and HP,” an official source said.
The move is a part of the government’s agenda of raising rural tele-density to 100 per cent in the next 3-4 years.
The rural tele-density in the country is at present around 44 per cent.
According to DoT estimates, about 56,000-60,000 thousand villages in the country have no telecom connectivity.
The Universal Services Obligation Fund (USOF) wing under the Department has been given responsibility to facilitate telecom connectivity in rural areas. The DoT, however, plans to seek information on unconnected villages from TRAI.
Sources said most of the uncovered villages will get covered under various projects like installation of mobile networks in nine naxal-affected states at an estimated cost of Rs 3,500 crore, increasing connectivity in North East at a cost of Rs 5,100 crore, and plans for connecting Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar islands.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) last week had recommended over Rs 2,400 crore-plan to provide telecom connectivity in Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar islands.
However, uncovered villages in three states–J&K, HP and Uttarakhand– do not fall under the proposed schemes.
“From TRAI, DoT wants a list of all unconnected villages state-wise and urgent information is required for three states–J&K, Uttarakhand and HP,” the source said. (PTI)
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