Lok Sabha Question No. 2751 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-01-03
Subject: Telephone Connectivity
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: HARI MANJHI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2751 TO BE ANSWERED ON  3 RD  JANUARY, 2018

## TELEPHONE CONNECTIVITY

†2751. SHRI HARI MANJHI:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

(a) the  percentage  of  urban  and  rural  families  in  the  country  not  having  telephone connectivity as on date, State/UT-wise;

(b) whether the pace of telecom networking in the rural, backward, tribal and hilly areas is slow in comparison to the urban areas and if so, the State-wise details thereof and the reasons therefor;

(c) whether the Government has fixed any target to provide telephone connectivity to each family particularly in the rural and inaccessible areas;

(d) if so, the measures taken for extension of telecom network in the areas having poorest connectivity; and

(e) the  State-wise  and  year-wise  amount  allocated  for  this  purpose  during  the  last  three years and the current year?

## ANSWER

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

(a) & (b) The penetration of telephone connections is currently measured in terms of teledensity,  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.

(c) to (e) 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,  e-education,  egovernance  and  e-commerce  in  the  future.  As  on  24/12/2017,  OFC  pipe  has  been  laid  in 1,13,469 GPs and the fibre has been laid in 1,08,237 GPs and 96,039 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 31.10.2017 (in million)   | Telephone connections (landline + mobile) as on 31.10.2017 (in million)   | Teledensity (in %) as on 31.10.2017   | Teledensity (in %) as on 31.10.2017   |
|-----------|----------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
| Sr. No.   | Service area         | Rural                                                                     | Urban                                                                     | Rural                                 | Urban                                 |
| 1         | Andhra Pradesh       | 38.68                                                                     | 48.41                                                                     | 60.04                                 | 193.24                                |
| 2         | Assam                | 14.09                                                                     | 8.36                                                                      | 51.03                                 | 153.60                                |
| 3         | Bihar                | 49.02                                                                     | 34.98                                                                     | 40.60                                 | 180.14                                |
| 4         | Gujarat              | 27.45                                                                     | 43.54                                                                     | 73.57                                 | 158.44                                |
| 5         | Haryana              | 11.12                                                                     | 14.68                                                                     | 62.74                                 | 141.19                                |
| 6         | Himachal Pradesh     | 7.50                                                                      | 3.43                                                                      | 118.51                                | 398.94                                |
| 7         | Jammu & Kashmir      | 6.30                                                                      | 6.64                                                                      | 69.53                                 | 186.40                                |
| 8         | Karnataka            | 22.52                                                                     | 49.84                                                                     | 58.73                                 | 200.01                                |
| 9         | Kerala               | 19.76                                                                     | 23.73                                                                     | 73.27                                 | 260.36                                |
| 10        | Madhya Pradesh       | 33.26                                                                     | 39.42                                                                     | 43.37                                 | 134.16                                |
| 11        | Maharashtra          | 43.38                                                                     | 52.64                                                                     | 68.42                                 | 142.04                                |
| 12        | North East           | 6.58                                                                      | 6.46                                                                      | 62.30                                 | 178.44                                |
| 13        | Odisha               | 20.31                                                                     | 13.90                                                                     | 57.59                                 | 179.07                                |
| 14        | Punjab               | 14.08                                                                     | 24.49                                                                     | 81.02                                 | 173.96                                |
| 15        | Rajasthan            | 33.46                                                                     | 32.91                                                                     | 59.25                                 | 181.98                                |
| 16        | Tamil Nadu           | 26.44                                                                     | 66.52                                                                     | 95.58                                 | 151.00                                |
| 17        | Uttar Pradesh (East) | 53.77                                                                     | 50.93                                                                     |                                       |                                       |
| 18        | Uttar Pradesh (West) | 28.53                                                                     | 38.11                                                                     | 45.63*                                | 164.37*                               |
| 19        | West Bengal          | 40.88                                                                     | 17.79                                                                     | 59.77                                 | 153.68                                |
| 20        | Kolkata              | 2.85                                                                      | 27.01                                                                     | #                                     | 185.35                                |
| 21        | Delhi                | 2.61                                                                      | 55.19                                                                     | #                                     | 259.00                                |
| 22        | Mumbai               | 1.61                                                                      | 38.91                                                                     | #                                     | 168.58                                |
|           | All- India           | 504.21                                                                    | 697.89                                                                    | 56.99                                 | 170.84                                |

Source:DoT

Note:

#  Since Rural-Urban break up of population for Kolkata, Delhi and Mumbai service areas is not available therefore the overall teledensity is put as Urban teledensity in case of these metros

* Separate population of UP(East) and UP(West) service area is not available.

.

## ANNEXURE-II

| S.N.   | 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 31.10.2017   | Telephone connections (landline + mobile) as on 31.10.2017   | Telephone connections (landline + mobile) as on 31.10.2017   | CAGR (in %)   | CAGR (in %)   |
|--------|----------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|---------------|---------------|
| S.N.   | Service area         | Rural                                                        | Urba n                                                       | Total                                                        | Rural                                                        | Urba n                                                       | Total                                                        | Rural         | Urban         |
| 1      | Andhra Pradesh       | 28.58                                                        | 40.61                                                        | 69.19                                                        | 38.68                                                        | 48.41                                                        | 87.09                                                        | 8.82%         | 5.03%         |
| 2      | Assam                | 9.20                                                         | 6.27                                                         | 15.46                                                        | 14.09                                                        | 8.36                                                         | 22.45                                                        | 12.65%        | 8.39%         |
| 3      | Bihar                | 34.10                                                        | 27.86                                                        | 61.97                                                        | 49.02                                                        | 34.98                                                        | 84.00                                                        | 10.66%        | 6.56%         |
| 4      | Gujarat              | 20.95                                                        | 35.28                                                        | 56.23                                                        | 27.45                                                        | 43.54                                                        | 70.99                                                        | 7.84%         | 6.05%         |
| 5      | Haryana              | 10.35                                                        | 11.40                                                        | 21.75                                                        | 11.12                                                        | 14.68                                                        | 25.80                                                        | 2.03%         | 7.32%         |
| 6      | Himachal Pradesh     | 4.77                                                         | 2.61                                                         | 7.37                                                         | 7.50                                                         | 3.43                                                         | 10.93                                                        | 13.51%        | 7.92%         |
| 7      | Jammu & Kashmir      | 3.76                                                         | 4.37                                                         | 8.13                                                         | 6.30                                                         | 6.64                                                         | 12.94                                                        | 15.52%        | 12.44%        |
| 8      | Karnataka            | 17.51                                                        | 39.13                                                        | 56.64                                                        | 22.52                                                        | 49.84                                                        | 72.36                                                        | 7.29%         | 6.99%         |
| 9      | Kerala               | 16.97                                                        | 17.04                                                        | 34.01                                                        | 19.76                                                        | 23.73                                                        | 43.49                                                        | 4.35%         | 9.69%         |
| 10     | Madhya Pradesh       | 24.79                                                        | 31.79                                                        | 56.58                                                        | 33.26                                                        | 39.42                                                        | 72.68                                                        | 8.55%         | 6.19%         |
| 11     | Maharashtra          | 34.84                                                        | 40.07                                                        | 74.90                                                        | 43.38                                                        | 52.64                                                        | 96.03                                                        | 6.32%         | 7.92%         |
| 12     | North East           | 4.39                                                         | 5.17                                                         | 9.55                                                         | 6.58                                                         | 6.46                                                         | 13.05                                                        | 12.02%        | 6.47%         |
| 13     | Odisha               | 13.78                                                        | 11.69                                                        | 25.47                                                        | 20.31                                                        | 13.90                                                        | 34.21                                                        | 11.43%        | 4.95%         |
| 14     | Punjab               | 12.45                                                        | 19.98                                                        | 32.43                                                        | 14.08                                                        | 24.49                                                        | 38.57                                                        | 3.50%         | 5.84%         |
| 15     | Rajasthan            | 26.21                                                        | 27.36                                                        | 53.57                                                        | 33.46                                                        | 32.91                                                        | 66.38                                                        | 7.07%         | 5.30%         |
| 16     | Tamil Nadu           | 21.91                                                        | 56.18                                                        | 78.09                                                        | 26.44                                                        | 66.52                                                        | 92.96                                                        | 5.39%         | 4.83%         |
| 17     | Uttar Pradesh (East) | 38.32                                                        | 39.46                                                        | 77.78                                                        | 53.77                                                        | 50.93                                                        | 104.70                                                       | 9.92%         | 7.39%         |
| 18     | Uttar Pradesh (West) | 22.70                                                        | 26.60                                                        | 49.30                                                        | 28.53                                                        | 38.11                                                        | 66.64                                                        | 6.60%         | 10.57%        |
| 19     | West Bengal          | 27.74                                                        | 15.06                                                        | 42.80                                                        | 40.88                                                        | 17.79                                                        | 58.67                                                        | 11.44%        | 4.77%         |
| 20     | Kolkata              | 1.77                                                         | 20.38                                                        | 22.15                                                        | 2.85                                                         | 27.01                                                        | 29.87                                                        | 14.37%        | 8.19%         |
| 21     | Delhi                | 2.37                                                         | 43.32                                                        | 45.69                                                        | 2.61                                                         | 55.19                                                        | 57.79                                                        | 2.77%         | 6.99%         |
| 22     | Mumbai               | 0.35                                                         | 33.61                                                        | 33.95                                                        | 1.61                                                         | 38.91                                                        | 40.52                                                        | 53.67%        | 4.18%         |
|        | All- India           | 377.7 8                                                      | 555.2 3                                                      | 933.02                                                       | 504.21                                                       | 697.8 9                                                      | 1202.1 1                                                     | 8.40%         | 6.60%         |

Source: DoT

| CCA-WISE DISBURSEMENT ACROSS DIFFERENT FINANCIAL YEARS AS ON 31-10-2017   | CCA-WISE DISBURSEMENT ACROSS DIFFERENT FINANCIAL YEARS AS ON 31-10-2017   | CCA-WISE DISBURSEMENT ACROSS DIFFERENT FINANCIAL YEARS AS ON 31-10-2017   | CCA-WISE DISBURSEMENT ACROSS DIFFERENT FINANCIAL YEARS AS ON 31-10-2017   | CCA-WISE DISBURSEMENT ACROSS DIFFERENT FINANCIAL YEARS AS ON 31-10-2017   |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| CCA*                                                                      | 2014-15                                                                   | 2015-16                                                                   | 2016-17                                                                   | 2017-18                                                                   |
| A&N                                                                       | 0.0                                                                       | 8.1                                                                       | 0.0                                                                       | 0.0                                                                       |
| AMARNATH YATRA                                                            |                                                                           |                                                                           |                                                                           | 6.9                                                                       |
| ANDHRA PRADESH                                                            | 19.0                                                                      | 1.3                                                                       | 0.7                                                                       | 0.2                                                                       |
| ASSAM                                                                     | 32.3                                                                      | 0.5                                                                       | 0.7                                                                       | 0.1                                                                       |
| BIHAR                                                                     | 4.1                                                                       | 2.6                                                                       | 0.9                                                                       | 35.6                                                                      |
| CHATTISGARH                                                               | 2.6                                                                       | 0.4                                                                       | 0.0                                                                       | 39.1                                                                      |
| DOT HQ                                                                    |                                                                           |                                                                           | 1290.3                                                                    | 241.8                                                                     |
| DOT-LWE                                                                   | 596.5                                                                     | 617.1                                                                     | 280.7                                                                     | 25.3                                                                      |
| DOT-NOFN                                                                  | 1351.9                                                                    | 2415.1                                                                    | 5600.0                                                                    | 1600.0                                                                    |
| GUJRAT                                                                    | 0.0                                                                       | 0.0                                                                       | 0.0                                                                       |                                                                           |
| HARYANA                                                                   | 1.2                                                                       | 1.8                                                                       | 2.6                                                                       | 0.0                                                                       |
| HIMACHAL PRADESH                                                          | 0.7                                                                       | 0.3                                                                       | 0.2                                                                       | 0.0                                                                       |
| J&K                                                                       | 0.3                                                                       | 0.5                                                                       | 2.0                                                                       | 0.0                                                                       |
| JHARKHAND                                                                 | 0.5                                                                       | 0.2                                                                       | 0.6                                                                       | 84.8                                                                      |
| KARNATAKA                                                                 | 8.3                                                                       | 4.2                                                                       | 0.7                                                                       | 8.0                                                                       |
| KERALA                                                                    | 3.8                                                                       | 1.3                                                                       | 6.2                                                                       |                                                                           |
| MAHARASHTRA                                                               | 20.4                                                                      | 14.1                                                                      |                                                                           |                                                                           |
| MP                                                                        | 13.5                                                                      | 12.6                                                                      | 1.9                                                                       | 0.3                                                                       |
| NE-I                                                                      | 2.3                                                                       | 6.7                                                                       | 15.0                                                                      | 0.0                                                                       |
| NE-II                                                                     | 1.2                                                                       | 2.0                                                                       | 14.3                                                                      | 0.0                                                                       |
| ORISSA                                                                    | 7.7                                                                       | 1.6                                                                       | 4.0                                                                       | 22.4                                                                      |
| PUNJAB                                                                    | 8.5                                                                       | 6.6                                                                       | 2.4                                                                       | 0.3                                                                       |
| RAJASTHAN                                                                 | 0.0                                                                       |                                                                           | 1.6                                                                       | 0.5                                                                       |
| TAMIL NADU                                                                | 0.1                                                                       | 0.0                                                                       | 0.0                                                                       | 0.0                                                                       |
| UP(E)                                                                     | 4.2                                                                       | 0.8                                                                       | 1.1                                                                       | 16.8                                                                      |
| UP(W)                                                                     | 0.9                                                                       | 0.3                                                                       | 0.3                                                                       | 0.1                                                                       |
| UTTARANCHAL                                                               | 1.5                                                                       | 0.2                                                                       | 0.0                                                                       | 0.0                                                                       |
| WEST BENGAL                                                               | 5.5                                                                       | 1.8                                                                       | 0.9                                                                       | 14.7                                                                      |
| Grand Total                                                               | 2087.0                                                                    | 3100.0                                                                    | 7227.0                                                                    | 2096.8                                                                    |
| * CCA: Controller of Communication Accounts                               | * CCA: Controller of Communication Accounts                               | * CCA: Controller of Communication Accounts                               | * CCA: Controller of Communication Accounts                               | * CCA: Controller of Communication Accounts                               |
| Source: http://www.usof.gov.in/usof-cms/subsidy_tabular.jsp               | Source: http://www.usof.gov.in/usof-cms/subsidy_tabular.jsp               | Source: http://www.usof.gov.in/usof-cms/subsidy_tabular.jsp               | Source: http://www.usof.gov.in/usof-cms/subsidy_tabular.jsp               | Source: http://www.usof.gov.in/usof-cms/subsidy_tabular.jsp               |

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## Annexure III