Lok Sabha Question No. 2357 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-08-01
Subject: Internet Penetration
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: P. KUMAR, SANKAR PRASAD DATTA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2357 TO BE ANSWERED ON 1 ST  AUGUST, 2018

## INTERNET PENETRATION

2357.  SHRI P. KUMAR:

SHRI SANKAR PRASAD DATTA:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) the  internet  penetration  in  the  country  in  terms  of  percentage,  State/UT-wise  and  the target fixed by the Government for increasing the said percentage along with the initiatives taken by the Government in this regard;
- (b) the steps taken by the Government towards finalization of policy on Net Neutrality along with the impact of Net Neutrality on the internet coverage across the country;
- (c) the  number  of  households  in  rural  areas  which  are  currently  having  access  to  internet services;
- (d) the measures taken by the Government to increase the availability of high speed internet services in rural areas; and
- (e) the  measures taken  to ensure  digital  literacy  among  students  and  adults  in  rural  areas along with the current status of the said efforts?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS & MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI MANOJ SINHA)

- (a) As per information furnished by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), Licensed Service Area wise internet penetration (Internet Subscribers per 100 population) in the country as on 30 th  April 2018 is enclosed as Annexure.

In  the  National  Telecom  Policy,  2012,  an  objective  was  fixed  for  achieving  175  million broadband  connections  in  the  Country  by  the  year  2017.  As  per  Telecom  Subscription  Data released by TRAI, there were 432 Million broadband subscribers in the Country as on 31 st  May, 2018.

Further, Government has allocated 965 MHz spectrum through auction in October 2016 to various telecom service providers for access services in the country. Telecom Service Providers are continuously rolling out their networks using this spectrum, which is resulting into proliferation of affordable internet services and enhancement of internet penetration in the Country.

- (b) Government is committed to the fundamental principles and concept of Net Neutrality and strives  for  non-discriminatory  access  to  Internet  for  all  citizens  of  the  country.  Recently,  the Telecom Commission has granted its approval to the recommendations of Telecom Regulatory

Authority of India (TRAI) on Net Neutrality, with minor modifications, upholding the principles of Net Neutrality.

As such,  net  neutrality  does  not  have  any  direct  bearing  on  the  internet  coverage  in  the Country.

(c) As per the information provided by TRAI, there were15.96 internet subscribers per 100 population in rural areas in the Country as on 30 th April, 2018.

Further, National Sample  Survey  Office (NSSO)  had  conducted  survey  on  'Social Consumption:  Education'  during  its  71 st round  (January-June,  2014).  Survey  results  show  that 16.1 per cent of households with at least one member of age 14 years and above had access to use internet facility in rural areas. There were 1675.44 lakhs estimated rural households having at least one member of age 14 years and above as per this survey. In the 75 th  round (July 2017June 2018) of National Sample Survey, information on whether household has internet facility has been included and survey is underway.

(d) Government has planned the BharatNet project to provide broadband connectivity to all Gram Panchayats (GPs) (approx. 2.5 lakh) in the country by using an optimal mix of underground fibre,  fibre  over  power  lines,  radio  and  satellite  media  to  be  completed  by  March  2019.  Upto 22 nd July 2018, 2,84,157 Kms of Optical Fibre Cable has been laid and 1,13,355 GPs have been made service ready.

(e) The  initiatives  taken  by  the  Government  to  promote  digital  literacy  in  rural  areas throughout the country are as under:

- (i) Two  Schemes  entitled  'National  Digital  Literacy  Mission'  (NDLM)  and  'Digital Saksharta Abhiyan' (DISHA) were implemented with a target to train 52.50 lakh candidates  (Age  Group:  14  -  60  Years)  in  digital  literacy  across  the  country including rural India. Under these two schemes, a total of 53.67 lakh beneficiaries were trained, out of which around 42% candidates were from rural India.
- (ii) The 'Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA)' approved in February, 2017 aims at ushering in digital literacy in rural India by covering 6 crore rural households (one person per household) by 31.03.2019. To ensure equitable geographical reach, each of the 2,50,000 Gram Panchayats would be expected to register an average of 200-300 candidates.  Digitally literate persons would be able to operate computers/digital access devices (like tablets, smart phones, etc.), send and  receive  emails,  browse  internet,  access  Government  Services,  search  for information,  undertake  cashless  transactions,  etc.  and  hence  use  IT  to  actively participate  in  the  process  of  nation  building.  So  far,  1.24  crore  candidates  have been trained,  out  of  which  more  than  64.84  lakh  candidates  have  been  certified under this scheme.

Licensed service area wise internet penetration (Internet Subscribers per 100 population) in the country as on 30 th April, 2018

| License Service Area   | Number of internet subscribers per 100 population   |
|------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|
| Andhra Pradesh         | 42.26                                               |
| Assam                  | 27.33                                               |
| Bihar                  | 18.94                                               |
| Delhi                  | 134.25                                              |
| Gujarat                | 48.34                                               |
| Haryana                | 42.55                                               |
| Himachal Pradesh       | 57.80                                               |
| Jammu & Kashmir        | 42.38                                               |
| Karnataka              | 51.45                                               |
| Kerala                 | 56.49                                               |
| Madhya Pradesh         | 25.74                                               |
| Maharashtra            | 49.91                                               |
| Mumbai                 |                                                     |
| Orissa                 |                                                     |
|                        | 27.73                                               |
| Punjab                 | 59.69                                               |
| Rajasthan              | 34.86                                               |
| Tamil Nadu             | 51.12                                               |
| Uttar Pradesh (East)   | 23.35                                               |
| Uttar Pradesh (West)   |                                                     |
| Kolkata                | 33.46                                               |
| West Bengal            |                                                     |
| Total                  | 37.46                                               |

Notes:   Data/information  for  Andhra  Pradesh  includes  Telangana,  Madhya  Pradesh  includes Chhattisgarh,  Bihar  includes  Jharkhand,  Maharashtra  includes  Goa,  Uttar  Pradesh (West)  includes  Uttarakhand,  West  Bengal  includes  Sikkim  and  North-East  includes Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland & Tripura states.

*****************