Lok Sabha Question No. 405 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-12
Subject: Universal Service Obligation Fund
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: PRATHAP SIMHA, MALLIKARJUN  KHARGE, SHOBHA KARANDLAJE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 405 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12 th   DECEMBER, 2018

## UNIVERSAL SERVICE OBLIGATION FUND

405.   SHRI PRATHAP SIMH A: SHRI MALLIKARJUN KHARGE: KUMARI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) the  amount  collected  by  way  of  charging  Universal  Access  Levy  (UAL)  on telecom operators, since 2014, year-wise, to date;
- (b) the details of the figures of balance amount in the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) starting from FY 2013-14 till FY 2017-18;
- (c) the year-wise list of projects introduced that are being funded through the USOF since 2014 and disbursement of funds project-wise for each year;
- (d) whether  Telecom  Companies  currently  pay  5%  of  the  AGR  (Adjusted  Gross Revenue) towards maintaining USOF;
- (e) whether the Universal Service Obligation Fund(USOF) has been set up to fund projects  to  boost  connectivity  in  rural  and  remote  areas  and  the  details  of  the  main functions of USOF; and
- (f) the measures being taken to promote progressive technologies to enhance rural infrastructure?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) Year  wise  statement  of  Universal  Access  Levy  (UAL)  from  2013-14  to  date  is enclosed as ANNEXURE-A .
- (b) Balance of Universal Access Levy (UAL) from 2013-14 to 2017-18 is enclosed as ANNEXURE-B .
- (c) Subsidy disbursed under various USOF schemes from 2013-14 to 2017-18 and current financial year is enclosed as ANNEXURE-C .

- (d) Yes.
- (e) The main functions of the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF)include:
-  Providing  access  to  telecom  services  to  people  in  the  rural  and  remote areas at affordable and reasonable prices.
-  Provide  subsidy  support  for  enabling  access  to  all  types  of  telecom services including mobile services, broadband connectivity and creation of infrastructure like OFC in rural and remote areas.
-  Formulation  of  benchmark  cost  and  finalizing  of  bidding  procedure  / process including relevant terms and conditions for this purpose
-  Monitor the performance of the schemes through Designated Agencies.

(f) The  details  of  measures  being  taken  to  promote  progressive  technologies  to enhance rural infrastructure is enclosed as ANNEXURE-D .

| Year    |   Rs. in Crore |
|---------|----------------|
| 2014-15 |        7537.88 |
| 2015-16 |        9835.7  |
| 2016-17 |        9763.87 |
| 2017-18 |        7019.22 |
| 2018-19 |        2182.16 |

| Year    |   Rs. in Crore |
|---------|----------------|
| 2014-15 |        39133.8 |
| 2015-16 |        45869.5 |
| 2016-17 |        48406.3 |
| 2017-18 |        48426.8 |

| ANNEXURE-C                                                                      | ANNEXURE-C                                                                                                       | ANNEXURE-C                                                                      | ANNEXURE-C                                                                      | ANNEXURE-C                                                                      | ANNEXURE-C                                                                      | ANNEXURE-C                                                                      | ANNEXURE-C                                                                      |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| YEAR WISE SUBSIDY DISBURSED UNDER VARIOUS USOF SCHEMES INTRODUCED SINCE 2013-14 | YEAR WISE SUBSIDY DISBURSED UNDER VARIOUS USOF SCHEMES INTRODUCED SINCE 2013-14                                  | YEAR WISE SUBSIDY DISBURSED UNDER VARIOUS USOF SCHEMES INTRODUCED SINCE 2013-14 | YEAR WISE SUBSIDY DISBURSED UNDER VARIOUS USOF SCHEMES INTRODUCED SINCE 2013-14 | YEAR WISE SUBSIDY DISBURSED UNDER VARIOUS USOF SCHEMES INTRODUCED SINCE 2013-14 | YEAR WISE SUBSIDY DISBURSED UNDER VARIOUS USOF SCHEMES INTRODUCED SINCE 2013-14 | YEAR WISE SUBSIDY DISBURSED UNDER VARIOUS USOF SCHEMES INTRODUCED SINCE 2013-14 | YEAR WISE SUBSIDY DISBURSED UNDER VARIOUS USOF SCHEMES INTRODUCED SINCE 2013-14 |
| Figures in Crore No.                                                            | NAME OF SCHEMES                                                                                                  | 2013-14                                                                         | 2014-15                                                                         | 2015-16                                                                         | 2016-17                                                                         | 2017-18                                                                         | 2018-19 (upto 31.10.2018)                                                       |
| 1                                                                               | Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra                                                                                           |                                                                                 |                                                                                 |                                                                                 |                                                                                 | 6.91                                                                            |                                                                                 |
| 2                                                                               | BharatNet                                                                                                        | 514.00                                                                          | 1351.86                                                                         | 2415.10                                                                         | 5600.00                                                                         | 6000.00                                                                         | 1500.00                                                                         |
| 3                                                                               | Mobile Connectivity in Left Wing Extremism areas (LWE)                                                           |                                                                                 | 596.51                                                                          | 617.05                                                                          | 280.68                                                                          | 710.90                                                                          | 253.90                                                                          |
| 4                                                                               | Augmentation, Creation and Management of Optical Fiber Network in Assam (OFC Assam)                              |                                                                                 | 31.40                                                                           |                                                                                 |                                                                                 |                                                                                 | 0.77                                                                            |
| 5                                                                               | Augmentation, Creation and Management of Optical Fiber Network in NE-I (OFC-NE-I)                                |                                                                                 |                                                                                 | 3.95                                                                            | 14.48                                                                           |                                                                                 |                                                                                 |
| 6                                                                               | Augmentation, Creation and Management of Optical Fiber Network in NE-II (OFC NE-II)                              |                                                                                 |                                                                                 |                                                                                 | 13.04                                                                           |                                                                                 |                                                                                 |
| 7                                                                               | Augmentation of Satellite Bandwidth in A & N Island                                                              |                                                                                 |                                                                                 | 8.10                                                                            |                                                                                 |                                                                                 | 56.00                                                                           |
| 8                                                                               | Augmentation of Satellite Bandwidth in Lakshadweep                                                               |                                                                                 |                                                                                 |                                                                                 | 4.65                                                                            |                                                                                 |                                                                                 |
| 9                                                                               | Submarine OFC connectivity in A&N Islands                                                                        |                                                                                 |                                                                                 |                                                                                 |                                                                                 |                                                                                 | 93.25                                                                           |
| 10                                                                              | Uncovered Villages under A&N                                                                                     |                                                                                 |                                                                                 |                                                                                 |                                                                                 | 0.03                                                                            |                                                                                 |
| 11                                                                              | Wi-Fi hotspots at 200 Gram Panchayats by BSNL using BharatNet backhaul, as a pilot project                       |                                                                                 |                                                                                 |                                                                                 |                                                                                 | 2.81                                                                            |                                                                                 |
| 12                                                                              | Setting up of Wi-Fi Choupals at 5,000 Gram Panchayats by Common Service Centre                                   |                                                                                 |                                                                                 |                                                                                 | 35.70                                                                           | 68.16                                                                           |                                                                                 |
| 13                                                                              | Setting up of 25,000 public Wi-Fi hotspots using the infrastructure of BSNL's telephone exchanges in rural areas |                                                                                 |                                                                                 |                                                                                 |                                                                                 | 187.50                                                                          |                                                                                 |
| 14                                                                              | Wi-Fi delivery model at 200 rural Railway Stations by M/s RailTel using their own backhaul, as a pilot project   |                                                                                 |                                                                                 |                                                                                 |                                                                                 | 7.39                                                                            | 0.50                                                                            |

## The details of measures being taken to promote progressive technologies to enhance rural infrastructure

1.  A scheme to support pilot projects on innovative technology, business model or any other aspect relating to provisions of broadband services in rural areas with USOF support.
2.  A pilot project for setting up Wi-Fi hotspots at 200 rural railway stations by Railtel at  an  approx.  capital  cost  of  Rs.16.74  crore  and  annual  operating  cost  of  Rs. 11.03 crore has been implemented.
3.  A  project  to  set  up  Wi-Fi  Network  in  all  the  Gram  Panchayats  with  5  Access Points, out of which 3 APs to be placed at Government institutions.

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