Lok Sabha Question No. 2000 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-07
Subject: Phone Facility in Backward and Remote Areas
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: HARI MANJHI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2000 TO BE ANSWERED ON 7 th  MARCH, 2018

## PHONE FACILITY IN BACKWARD AND REMOTE AREAS

†2000. SHRI HARI MANJHI:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) the percentage of urban and rural families which do not have phone facility till date in the country;
- (b) whether the pace of expansion of telecommunication facilities in rural, backward, tribal and mountainous areas is slow as compared to pace of expansion of such facilities in urban areas;
- (c) if so, the details thereof, State/ UT-wise and the reasons therefor;
- (d) whether the Government  proposes  to provide telephone facility to each family particularly in the rural and remote areas;
- (e) if  so, the measures taken/being taken to expand the telecommunication facilities in the aforementioned areas; and
- (f) the  funds  allocated  for  the  said  purpose  during  each  of  the  last  three  years  and  the current year, State/UT-wise?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) to (c) The penetration of telephone connections is currently measured in terms of  tele-density,  i.e  the  number  of  telephone  connections  as  a  percentage  of  the population.  Service  area  wise  number  of  telephone  connections  in  rural  and  urban areas,  teledensity  (number  of  telephones  per  100  inhabitants)  and  the  growth  of telephone  in  both  rural  and  urban  areas  are  given  at Annexure-I  and  II. Data  on families not having telephone connection is not available with the Department.
- (d) to (f) The Government has made specific efforts to extend the reach of telecom network to remote and rural villages and for that purpose created the Universal Services Obligation  Fund  (USOF).The  Government  is  implementing  the  flagship  BharatNet project  to link each of the 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats (GPs) of India through optical fibre network to facilitate delivery of various e-Services and applications including e-health, eeducation,  e-governance  and  e-commerce  in  the  future.  As  on  25 th February  2018, 1,03,279  GPs  are  service  ready.  A  comprehensive  telecommunication  development plan  for  the  North  East  Region  for  installing  telecom  towers  to  provide  mobile connectivity in villages and enhancement of the Optical Fibre connectivity in the region has been taken up. The Government is augmenting connectivity to Islands of Andaman &  Nicobar  and  Lakshadweep  to  the  mainland  through  undersea  Optical  Fibre  Cable. The Government has also commissioned over 2,000 mobile towers in 10 states affected by Left Wing Extremism (LWE). A statement showing disbursement under USOF is at Annexure III.

## Annexure I

| Sr. No.   | Service area         | Telephone connections (landline + mobile) as on 31.12.2017 (in million)   | Telephone connections (landline + mobile) as on 31.12.2017 (in million)   | Teledensity (in %) as on 31.12.2017   | Teledensity (in %) as on 31.12.2017   |
|-----------|----------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
| Sr. No.   | Service area         | Rural                                                                     | Urban                                                                     | Rural                                 | Urban                                 |
| 1         | Andhra Pradesh       | 38.39                                                                     | 47.45                                                                     | 59.52                                 | 189.16                                |
| 2         | Assam                | 14.35                                                                     | 8.51                                                                      | 51.90                                 | 155.60                                |
| 3         | Bihar                | 49.32                                                                     | 35.35                                                                     | 40.78                                 | 181.60                                |
| 4         | Gujarat              | 27.26                                                                     | 44.63                                                                     | 72.98                                 | 161.93                                |
| 5         | Haryana              | 11.25                                                                     | 14.52                                                                     | 63.41                                 | 139.02                                |
| 6         | Himachal Pradesh     | 7.42                                                                      | 3.32                                                                      | 117.06                                | 385.39                                |
| 7         | Jammu & Kashmir      | 6.41                                                                      | 6.83                                                                      | 70.67                                 | 191.09                                |
| 8         | Karnataka            | 22.75                                                                     | 46.71                                                                     | 59.32                                 | 186.90                                |
| 9         | Kerala               | 19.74                                                                     | 23.27                                                                     | 73.11                                 | 255.17                                |
| 10        | Madhya Pradesh       | 33.82                                                                     | 41.09                                                                     | 44.02                                 | 139.41                                |
| 11        | Maharashtra          | 43.82                                                                     | 51.33                                                                     | 69.07                                 | 138.04                                |
| 12        | North East           | 6.54                                                                      | 6.45                                                                      | 61.78                                 | 177.59                                |
| 13        | Odisha               | 20.53                                                                     | 13.83                                                                     | 58.19                                 | 177.58                                |
| 14        | Punjab               | 14.06                                                                     | 24.90                                                                     | 80.91                                 | 176.18                                |
| 15        | Rajasthan            | 33.04                                                                     | 33.42                                                                     | 58.39                                 | 184.30                                |
| 16        | Tamil Nadu           | 26.01                                                                     | 63.40                                                                     | 94.35                                 | 143.40                                |
| 17        | Uttar Pradesh (East) | 53.70                                                                     | 47.58                                                                     |                                       |                                       |
| 18        | Uttar Pradesh (West) | 27.50                                                                     | 35.18                                                                     | 44.91                                 | 152.26                                |
| 19        | West Bengal          | 39.45                                                                     | 18.88                                                                     | 57.62                                 | 162.85                                |
| 20        | Kolkata              | 2.91                                                                      | 27.11                                                                     | #                                     | #                                     |
| 21        | Delhi                | 2.71                                                                      | 56.06                                                                     | #                                     | #                                     |
| 22        | Mumbai               | 1.72                                                                      | 39.63                                                                     | #                                     | #                                     |
|           | All- India           | 502.71                                                                    | 689.43                                                                    | 56.75                                 | 168.26                                |

Source: DoT

Note :   #  Rural-urban break up of population for Kolkata, Delhi and Mumbai service areas is not available.

| Sr. No.   | Service area         | Telephone connections (landline + mobile) as on 31.03.2014   | Telephone connections (landline + mobile) as on 31.03.2014   | Telephone connections (landline + mobile) as on 31.03.2014   | Telephone connections (landline + mobile) as on 31.12.2017   | Telephone connections (landline + mobile) as on 31.12.2017   | Telephone connections (landline + mobile) as on 31.12.2017   | CAGR (in %)   | CAGR (in %)   |
|-----------|----------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|---------------|---------------|
| Sr. No.   | Service area         | Rural                                                        | Urban                                                        | Total                                                        | Rural                                                        | Urban                                                        | Total                                                        | Rural         | Urban         |
| 1         | Andhra Pradesh       | 28.58                                                        | 40.61                                                        | 69.19                                                        | 38.39                                                        | 47.45                                                        | 85.84                                                        | 8.18%         | 4.24%         |
| 2         | Assam                | 9.20                                                         | 6.27                                                         | 15.46                                                        | 14.35                                                        | 8.51                                                         | 22.85                                                        | 12.59%        | 8.49%         |
| 3         | Bihar                | 34.10                                                        | 27.86                                                        | 61.97                                                        | 49.32                                                        | 35.35                                                        | 84.67                                                        | 10.34%        | 6.55%         |
| 4         | Gujarat              | 20.95                                                        | 35.28                                                        | 56.23                                                        | 27.26                                                        | 44.63                                                        | 71.89                                                        | 7.27%         | 6.47%         |
| 5         | Haryana              | 10.35                                                        | 11.40                                                        | 21.75                                                        | 11.25                                                        | 14.52                                                        | 25.77                                                        | 2.24%         | 6.67%         |
| 6         | Himachal Pradesh     | 4.77                                                         | 2.61                                                         | 7.37                                                         | 7.42                                                         | 3.32                                                         | 10.73                                                        | 12.52%        | 6.63%         |
| 7         | Jammu & Kashmir      | 3.76                                                         | 4.37                                                         | 8.13                                                         | 6.41                                                         | 6.83                                                         | 13.24                                                        | 15.30%        | 12.67%        |
| 8         | Karnataka            | 17.51                                                        | 39.13                                                        | 56.64                                                        | 22.75                                                        | 46.71                                                        | 69.46                                                        | 7.24%         | 4.83%         |
| 9         | Kerala               | 16.97                                                        | 17.04                                                        | 34.01                                                        | 19.74                                                        | 23.27                                                        | 43.00                                                        | 4.12%         | 8.66%         |
| 10        | Madhya Pradesh       | 24.79                                                        | 31.79                                                        | 56.58                                                        | 33.82                                                        | 41.09                                                        | 74.91                                                        | 8.63%         | 7.08%         |
| 11        | Maharashtra          | 34.84                                                        | 40.07                                                        | 74.90                                                        | 43.82                                                        | 51.33                                                        | 95.15                                                        | 6.31%         | 6.83%         |
| 12        | North East           | 4.39                                                         | 5.17                                                         | 9.55                                                         | 6.54                                                         | 6.45                                                         | 12.99                                                        | 11.23%        | 6.12%         |
| 13        | Odisha               | 13.78                                                        | 11.69                                                        | 25.47                                                        | 20.53                                                        | 13.83                                                        | 34.36                                                        | 11.22%        | 4.58%         |
| 14        | Punjab               | 12.45                                                        | 19.98                                                        | 32.43                                                        | 14.06                                                        | 24.90                                                        | 38.96                                                        | 3.30%         | 6.04%         |
| 15        | Rajasthan            | 26.21                                                        | 27.36                                                        | 53.57                                                        | 33.04                                                        | 33.42                                                        | 66.46                                                        | 6.38%         | 5.48%         |
| 16        | Tamil Nadu           | 21.91                                                        | 56.18                                                        | 78.09                                                        | 26.01                                                        | 63.40                                                        | 89.41                                                        | 4.68%         | 3.28%         |
| 17        | Uttar Pradesh (East) | 38.32                                                        | 39.46                                                        | 77.78                                                        | 53.70                                                        | 47.58                                                        | 101.27                                                       | 9.41%         | 5.11%         |
| 18        | Uttar Pradesh (West) | 22.70                                                        | 26.60                                                        | 49.30                                                        | 27.50                                                        | 35.18                                                        | 62.68                                                        | 5.25%         | 7.74%         |
| 19        | West Bengal          | 27.74                                                        | 15.06                                                        | 42.80                                                        | 39.45                                                        | 18.88                                                        | 58.34                                                        | 9.85%         | 6.23%         |
| 20        | Kolkata              | 1.77                                                         | 20.38                                                        | 22.15                                                        | 2.91                                                         | 27.11                                                        | 30.02                                                        | 14.22%        | 7.90%         |
| 21        | Delhi                | 2.37                                                         | 43.32                                                        | 45.69                                                        | 2.71                                                         | 56.06                                                        | 58.77                                                        | 3.71%         | 7.11%         |
| 22        | Mumbai               | 0.35                                                         | 33.61                                                        | 33.95                                                        | 1.72                                                         | 39.63                                                        | 41.35                                                        | 53.37%        | 4.49%         |
|           | All- India           | 377.78                                                       | 555.23                                                       | 933.02                                                       | 502.71                                                       | 689.43                                                       | 1192.14                                                      | 7.92%         | 5.94%         |

Source : DoT

Contd…4/-

## Annexure III

| DISBURSEMENT ACROSS DIFFERENT FINANCIAL YEARS Position as on 31-12-2017 Figures in crores   | DISBURSEMENT ACROSS DIFFERENT FINANCIAL YEARS Position as on 31-12-2017 Figures in crores   | DISBURSEMENT ACROSS DIFFERENT FINANCIAL YEARS Position as on 31-12-2017 Figures in crores   | DISBURSEMENT ACROSS DIFFERENT FINANCIAL YEARS Position as on 31-12-2017 Figures in crores   | DISBURSEMENT ACROSS DIFFERENT FINANCIAL YEARS Position as on 31-12-2017 Figures in crores   |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| CCA                                                                                         | 2014-15                                                                                     | 2015-16                                                                                     | 2016-17                                                                                     | 2017-18                                                                                     |
| A&N                                                                                         | 0.04                                                                                        | 8.11                                                                                        | 0.00                                                                                        | 0.00                                                                                        |
| AMARNATH YATRA                                                                              |                                                                                             |                                                                                             |                                                                                             | 6.91                                                                                        |
| ANDHRA PRADESH                                                                              | 19.03                                                                                       | 1.33                                                                                        | 0.66                                                                                        | 0.31                                                                                        |
| ASSAM                                                                                       | 32.35                                                                                       | 0.55                                                                                        | 0.71                                                                                        | 0.17                                                                                        |
| BIHAR                                                                                       | 4.05                                                                                        | 2.58                                                                                        | 0.88                                                                                        | 42.43                                                                                       |
| CHATTISGARH                                                                                 | 2.56                                                                                        | 0.37                                                                                        | 0.00                                                                                        | 60.00                                                                                       |
| DOT HQ                                                                                      |                                                                                             |                                                                                             | 1290.35                                                                                     | 241.80                                                                                      |
| DOT-LWE                                                                                     | 596.51                                                                                      | 617.05                                                                                      | 280.68                                                                                      | 50.60                                                                                       |
| DOT-NOFN                                                                                    | 1351.86                                                                                     | 2415.10                                                                                     | 5600.00                                                                                     | 3100.00                                                                                     |
| GUJRAT                                                                                      | 0.00                                                                                        | 0.00                                                                                        | 0.00                                                                                        |                                                                                             |
| HARYANA                                                                                     | 1.17                                                                                        | 1.82                                                                                        | 2.56                                                                                        | 0.00                                                                                        |
| HIMACHAL PRADESH                                                                            | 0.70                                                                                        | 0.30                                                                                        | 0.16                                                                                        | 0.02                                                                                        |
| J&K                                                                                         | 0.27                                                                                        | 0.52                                                                                        | 1.97                                                                                        | 0.05                                                                                        |
| JHARKHAND                                                                                   | 0.52                                                                                        | 0.16                                                                                        | 0.64                                                                                        | 140.75                                                                                      |
| KARNATAKA                                                                                   | 8.34                                                                                        | 4.17                                                                                        | 0.67                                                                                        | 7.98                                                                                        |
| KERALA                                                                                      | 3.75                                                                                        | 1.32                                                                                        | 6.22                                                                                        |                                                                                             |
| MAHARASHTRA                                                                                 | 20.39                                                                                       | 14.10                                                                                       |                                                                                             |                                                                                             |
| MP                                                                                          | 13.49                                                                                       | 12.58                                                                                       | 1.88                                                                                        | 0.36                                                                                        |
| NE-I                                                                                        | 2.30                                                                                        | 6.74                                                                                        | 15.00                                                                                       | 0.02                                                                                        |
| NE-II                                                                                       | 1.23                                                                                        | 2.04                                                                                        | 14.26                                                                                       | 0.01                                                                                        |
| ORISSA                                                                                      | 7.70                                                                                        | 1.58                                                                                        | 4.03                                                                                        | 31.33                                                                                       |
| PUNJAB                                                                                      | 8.48                                                                                        | 6.56                                                                                        | 2.44                                                                                        | 0.32                                                                                        |
| RAJASTHAN                                                                                   | 0.00                                                                                        |                                                                                             | 1.65                                                                                        | 0.45                                                                                        |
| TAMIL NADU                                                                                  | 0.05                                                                                        | 0.01                                                                                        | 0.00                                                                                        | 0.00                                                                                        |
| UP(E)                                                                                       | 4.25                                                                                        | 0.77                                                                                        | 1.09                                                                                        | 19.85                                                                                       |
| UP(W)                                                                                       | 0.95                                                                                        | 0.29                                                                                        | 0.27                                                                                        | 0.13                                                                                        |
| UTTARANCHAL                                                                                 | 1.48                                                                                        | 0.19                                                                                        | 0.00                                                                                        | 0.00                                                                                        |
| WEST BENGAL                                                                                 | 5.52                                                                                        | 1.76                                                                                        | 0.92                                                                                        | 18.38                                                                                       |
| Grand Total                                                                                 | 2086.98                                                                                     | 3100.00                                                                                     | 7227.03                                                                                     | 3721.89                                                                                     |
| Source:USOF, DoT. http://www.usof.gov.in/usof-cms/subsidy_tabular.jsp                       | Source:USOF, DoT. http://www.usof.gov.in/usof-cms/subsidy_tabular.jsp                       | Source:USOF, DoT. http://www.usof.gov.in/usof-cms/subsidy_tabular.jsp                       | Source:USOF, DoT. http://www.usof.gov.in/usof-cms/subsidy_tabular.jsp                       | Source:USOF, DoT. http://www.usof.gov.in/usof-cms/subsidy_tabular.jsp                       |

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