Lok Sabha Question No. 2525 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-08-01
Subject: Digital Infrastructure and Net Neutrality
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: ANANDRAO  ADSUL, KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL, SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE, DHARMENDRA YADAV, SHIVAJI ADHALRAO PATIL, RAKESH SINGH, VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT, Shrirang Appa Barne

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2525 TO BE ANSWERED ON 1 ST  AUGUST, 2018

## DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND NET NEUTRALITY

2525.   SHRI ANANDRAO ADSUL:

SHRI KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL:

DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE:

SHRI DHARMENDRA YADAV:

SHRI ADHALRAO PATIL SHIVAJIRAO:

SHRI RAKESH SINGH:

SHRI VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT:

SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) the importance of digital infrastructure and the steps taken/being taken by the Government to expand and strengthen the same in the country;
- (b) whether the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) supports the principles of free and open internet and if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor along with the measures taken by TRAI in this regard;
- (c) whether the TRAI has recommended the framework of net neutrality and if so, the details thereof  along  with  the  policy  framework/norms,  if  any,  laid  down  by  the  Government  in  this regard;
- (d) whether  any  monitoring  system  has  been  put  in  place  by  the  Government  to  ensure compliance  of  the  said  policy  framework/norms  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  if  not,  the reasons therefor;
- (e) the number of gram panchayats connected with Wi-Fi network, State/UT-wise along with the expenditure incurred by the Government thereon; and
- (f) the  time  by  which  all  the  gram  panchayats  of  the  country  will  be  connected  with  Wi-Fi network?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) The  Government  envisions  to  transform  India  into  a  digitally  empowered  society  and knowledge economy wherein the importance of digital infrastructure as a utility to every citizen has been recognised. The following are key initiatives to expand and strengthen the infrastructure:
- i) BharatNet  project  is  being  implemented  in  a  phased  manner  for  providing broadband  connectivity  to  all  Gram  Panchayats  (approximately  2,50,000)  in  the

country. Phase 1 of BharatNet for connecting 1 lakh Gram Panchayats (GPs) has been  completed  in  December  2017.  The  remaining  GPs  are  targeted  to  be implemented by March 2019 under Phase 2.

- ii) Indian Telegraph Right of Way Rules, 2016 have been notified in November 2016 for regulating underground infrastructure (optical fibre) and over-ground infrastructure (mobile towers).
- iii) Spectrum sharing, trading and liberalisation of administratively allocated spectrum has been allowed to facilitate efficient utilisation.
- iv) Active  infrastructure  sharing  has  been  enabled  so  that  the  infrastructure  can  be utilised efficiently.
- v) To  facilitate  ease  of  doing  business,  the  requirement  of  prior  approval  before launching  of  services  has  been  done  away  with  and  only  prior  intimation  is required.
- vi) Aadhaar based e-KYC (Know Your Customer) has been enabled   for ease in grant of mobile connections.

(b) In order to keep  the Internet open  and  non-discriminatory, TRAI  has  prohibited discriminatory  tariff  offerings  on  the  basis  of  content  for  data  services  vide  its  regulation 'Prohibition  of  Discriminatory  Tariffs  for  Data  Services  Regulations,  2016'  dated  8th  February, 2016.

(c) & (d) TRAI, in its recommendations on 'Net Neutrality' dated 28-11-2017 has inter-alia, recommended that Internet access services should be governed by a principle that restricts any form of discrimination or interference in the treatment of content, including practices like blocking, degrading, slowing down or granting preferential speeds or treatment to any content.

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. Government is in the process of establishing the regulatory framework along with monitoring mechanism for Net Neutrality  which,  inter  alia,  includes  amendment  in  the  terms  of  various  license  agreements governing  the  provision  of  Internet  services  in  India  to  incorporate  the  principles  of  nondiscriminatory treatment of content.

(e) The following Wi-Fi Schemes with USOF (Universal Service Obligation Fund) funding are being implemented through the various agencies:

- i. 25,000 Wi-Fi hotspots at Rural Telephone Exchanges of BSNL.
- ii. Setting up of Wi-Fi Chaupal at 5000 GPs by CSC-SPV (Common Service CentresSpecial Purpose Vehicle)
- iii. Wi-Fi network in 25000 GPs of Uttar Pradesh by CSC-SPV
- iv. Wi-Fi in 3243 GPs of Himachal Pradesh.
- v. Wi-Fi in 10000 GPs of Rajasthan

As on 30th June, 2018, Wi-Fi hotspots at 4949 GPs have been made operational. The State/UT  wise  details  along  with  expenditure  incurred  are  attached  as Annexure-I  &  II respectively.

(f) As part of BharatNet project, the last mile connectivity, through Wi-Fi or any other suitable broadband technology is proposed to be connected by March 2019.

## Annexure - I

| Sl. No.   | State/ UT      |   No of GPs made operational |
|-----------|----------------|------------------------------|
| 1         | Bihar          |                          214 |
| 2         | Chandigarh     |                           10 |
| 3         | Chattisgarh    |                          308 |
| 4         | Haryana        |                          171 |
| 5         | Jharkhand      |                          280 |
| 6         | Karnataka      |                          153 |
| 7         | Madhya Pradesh |                          515 |
| 8         | Maharashtra    |                          149 |
| 9         | Odisha         |                           80 |
| 10        | Puducherry     |                           81 |
| 11        | Uttar Pradesh  |                         1467 |
| 12        | Uttarakhand    |                          321 |
| 13        | Rajasthan      |                         1200 |
|           | Total          |                         4949 |

## Annexure - II

| Sl. No.   | State/ UT        |   Expenditure incurred to provide Wi-Fi network in GPs under USO Fund (Rs. In Crore) |
|-----------|------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1         | Bihar            |                                                                                 6.42 |
| 2         | Chandigarh       |                                                                                 0.25 |
| 3         | Chattisgarh      |                                                                                 8.16 |
| 4         | Haryana          |                                                                                 1.27 |
| 5         | Himachal Pradesh |                                                                                25.94 |
| 6         | Jharkhand        |                                                                                 7.37 |
| 7         | Karnataka        |                                                                                 2.48 |
| 8         | Madhya Pradesh   |                                                                                27.34 |
| 9         | Maharashtra      |                                                                                 3.09 |
| 10        | Odisha           |                                                                                 1.87 |
| 11        | Puducherry       |                                                                                 1.68 |
| 12        | Uttar Pradesh    |                                                                               239.41 |
| 13        | Uttarakhand      |                                                                                 7.33 |
|           | Total            |                                                                               332.61 |

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