Lok Sabha Question No. 18 (STARRED), answered on 2016-11-16
Subject: Investment in telecom Infrastructure
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: RANGASWAMY DHRUVANARAYANA, BHEEMRAO BASWANTHRAO PATIL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.18 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16 TH  NOVEMBER, 2016

## INVESTMENT IN TELECOM INFRASTRUCTURE

- †*18.   SHRI R. DHRUVA NARAYANA: SHRI BHEEMRAO B. PATIL:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Telecom  Regulatory  Authority  of  India  (TRAI)  has  formulated  a scheme to invest or seek investment of significant amount in order to improve telecom infrastructure in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with the names of the States which are lagging in telecom infrastructure due to paucity of funds;
- (c) the  total  amount  allocated  for  expansion  of  telecom  infrastructure  in  these States, State-wise; and
- (d) the  details  of  measures/plans  to  modernize  telecom  infrastructure  in  the country?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) to (d) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT  TO  BE  LAID  ON  THE  TABLE  OF  THE  LOK  SABHA  IN  RESPECT  OF PARTS (a) TO (d) OF LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 18  FOR 16 th  NOVEMBER, 2016 REGARDING 'INVESTMENT IN TELECOM INFRASTRUCTURE'.

(a) & (b) Telecom  Regulatory  Authority  of  India  (TRAI)  has  not  formulated  any scheme to invest or seek investment of significant amount in order to improve telecom infrastructure across the country. However, TRAI has recommended various schemes to improve telecom infrastructure across the country.

(c) & (d) State-wise details of funds disbursed for various schemes implemented by Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) for expansion of the telecom services across the country are at Annexure-I. Action taken by the Government for expansion of telecom infrastructure is as below:

- (i) On  10.09.2014,  the  Government  approved  a  proposal  to  implement  a Comprehensive Telecom Development Plan for the North-Eastern Region (NER).  The Project envisages providing mobile coverage to 8621 identified uncovered villages by installation of about 6673 mobile towers, installation of  321  mobile  tower  sites  along  National  Highways  and  strengthening  of transmission network in the NER.  The estimated cost of implementation is Rs.  5336.18  crore.    The  Project  would  be  funded  from  Universal  Service Obligation Fund (USOF).
- (ii) 2199  mobile  towers  are  being  set  up  in  Left  Wing  Extremism  (LWE) affected States with a total estimated cost of Rs.3567.58 crore. 2185 mobile towers are radiating as on 31.10.2016.
- (iii) Telecom  Commission  has  given  'in  principle'  approval  on  07.11.2014  for Comprehensive Telecom Development Plan including provision of  mobile connectivity for Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep Islands with a total estimated investment of Rs. 221.05 crore.
- (iv) It is estimated that there are about 55,000 villages in the country that do not have  mobile  coverage.  Mobile  coverage  to  these  uncovered  villages  is likely to be provided in a phased manner, subject to availability of financial resources.  Government  has  prioritized  to  provide  mobile  communication services  in  uncovered  villages  in  LWE  affected  areas,  North-Eastern States,  Islands,  and  Himalayan  States  in  the  first  phase,  with  financial support from USO Fund.
- (v) National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) project, renamed as BharatNet, is planned to establish a network infrastructure by connecting all  Gram Panchayats  (approx.  2.5  lakh)  in  the  country  by  using  an  optimal  mix  of underground  fibre,  fibre  over  power  lines,  radio  and  satellite  media,  for providing broadband connectivity by all categories of service providers on non-discriminatory basis.

The project is planned to be implemented in three phases.  Under first phase of the project, 1 lakh  Gram  Panchayats  (GPs)  are  to  be  connected  by  laying underground OFC by March 2017. Under second phase, connectivity will be provided to remaining 1.5 lakh GPs in the country using an optimal mix of underground fibre, fibre  over  power  lines,  radio  and  satellite  media,  by  September,  2018.  Futuristic network with ring topology to be used between districts and blocks and blocks and GPs, targeted to be completed by 2023.

As  on  06.11.2016,  Optical  Fibre  Cable  (OFC)  has  been  laid  to  62,463 Gram Panchayats (GPs) with a total length of 1,43,445 km. Out of these, 12,597 GPs have been provided with broadband connectivity.

## Annexure-I

| State wise allocation / disbursement of fund under the schemes of USOF   | State wise allocation / disbursement of fund under the schemes of USOF   | State wise allocation / disbursement of fund under the schemes of USOF   | State wise allocation / disbursement of fund under the schemes of USOF   |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| State/CCA                                                                | 2015-16                                                                  | 2016-17                                                                  | Total                                                                    |
| Andaman & Nicobar                                                        | 8.11                                                                     | 0.00                                                                     | 8.11                                                                     |
| Andhra Pradesh                                                           | 1.33                                                                     | 0.38                                                                     | 1.71                                                                     |
| Assam                                                                    | 0.55                                                                     | 0.37                                                                     | 0.92                                                                     |
| Bihar                                                                    | 2.58                                                                     | 0.65                                                                     | 3.23                                                                     |
| Chhattisgarh                                                             | 0.37                                                                     | 0.00                                                                     | 0.37                                                                     |
| Department of Telecommunications Head Quarters                           | 3032.15                                                                  | 3529.95                                                                  | 6562.1                                                                   |
| Gujarat                                                                  | 0.00                                                                     | 0.00                                                                     | 0                                                                        |
| Haryana                                                                  | 1.82                                                                     | 1.47                                                                     | 3.29                                                                     |
| Himachal Pradesh                                                         | 0.30                                                                     | 0.12                                                                     | 0.42                                                                     |
| Jammu & Kashmir                                                          | 0.52                                                                     | 0.41                                                                     | 0.93                                                                     |
| Jharkhand                                                                | 0.16                                                                     | 0.57                                                                     | 0.73                                                                     |
| Karnataka                                                                | 4.17                                                                     | 0.00                                                                     | 4.17                                                                     |
| Kerala                                                                   | 1.32                                                                     | 3.00                                                                     | 4.32                                                                     |
| Maharashtra                                                              | 14.10                                                                    | 0.00                                                                     | 14.1                                                                     |
| Madhya Pradesh                                                           | 12.58                                                                    | 1.05                                                                     | 13.63                                                                    |
| North East-I                                                             | 6.74                                                                     | 14.89                                                                    | 21.63                                                                    |
| North East-II                                                            | 2.04                                                                     | 13.93                                                                    | 15.97                                                                    |
| Odisha                                                                   | 1.58                                                                     | 2.26                                                                     | 3.84                                                                     |
| Punjab                                                                   | 6.56                                                                     | 0.95                                                                     | 7.51                                                                     |
| Rajasthan                                                                | 0.00                                                                     | 0.38                                                                     | 0.38                                                                     |
| Tamil Nadu                                                               | 0.01                                                                     | 0.00                                                                     | 0.01                                                                     |
| Uttar Pradesh (East)                                                     | 0.77                                                                     | 0.37                                                                     | 1.14                                                                     |
| Uttar Pradesh (West)                                                     | 0.29                                                                     | 0.08                                                                     | 0.37                                                                     |
| Uttarakhand                                                              | 0.19                                                                     | 0.00                                                                     | 0.19                                                                     |
| West Bengal                                                              | 1.76                                                                     | 0.61                                                                     | 2.37                                                                     |
| Total                                                                    | 3100.00                                                                  | 3571.44                                                                  | 6671.44                                                                  |

* North East-I includes: Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram

** North East-II includes: Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland

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