Lok Sabha Question No. 2854 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-10
Subject: Telecom Linkages in Diara Region of Bihar
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Ram Kripal Yadav

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2854 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10 TH   JULY, 2019

## TELECOM LINKAGES IN DIARA REGION OF BIHAR

## †2854. SHRI RAM KRIPAL YADAV:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

(a) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to link the villages of Bihar including Diara region with internet and mobile network; and

(b) the  number  of  villages  of  Diara  region  of  Bihar  linked  with  internet  and  mobile  network during each of the last three years and the amount of fund spent by the Government during the said period in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS, LAW & JUSTICE AND ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

(a) BharatNet project is being implemented in a phased manner  to provide broadband connectivity at all Gram Panchayats (approx. 2,50,000) in the country including Bihar.

In  Bihar,  including  Diara  region,  BharatNet  Phase-I  has  been  implemented  through  Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and BharatNet Phase-II is being implemented through Private Sector Model by Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL).

As  on  27.06.2019,  by  laying  19,793  km  optical  fibre  cable  (OFC),  a  total  of  6208  Gram Panchayats  (GPs)  have  been  made  Service  Ready  for  broadband  connectivity  in  Bihar  and  the remaining GPs are under implementation.

Provision  of  mobile  connectivity  at  2355  tower  locations,  identified  by  Ministry  of  Home Affairs  (MHA)  in  the  Left  Wing  Extremism  (LWE)  affected  areas  (LWE  Phase-I),  has  been implemented through Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited under the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) Scheme. Out of these, 250 towers have been installed in Bihar.

Under LWE Phase-II project under USOF, mobile connectivity by using 2G + 4G technology is to be provided in inhabited and uncovered villages at 3465 tower locations (identified by MHA, in the Left Wing Extremism affected areas in 10 States).  Out of these, 106 towers locations have been identified in Bihar for providing mobile connectivity under this project.

Further, Government has allocated 965 Megahertz spectrum through auction in October 2016 to  various  telecom  service  providers  for  access  services  in  the  country  including  Bihar  Licensed Service  Area.  During  this  auction,  the  spectrum  as  detailed  below  has  been  allocated  in  Bihar Licensed Service Area:

| Spectrum Band   | Quantum of Spectrum Allocated   |
|-----------------|---------------------------------|
| 1800 MHz        | 11.8 MHz (Paired)               |
| 2100 MHz        | 10 MHz (Paired)                 |
| 2300 MHz        | 20 MHz                          |
| 2500 MHz        | 10 MHz                          |

In order to enhance the mobile and internet penetration, 3G/4G networks are being rolled out progressively by the telecom service providers in rural as well as urban areas.

- (b) The approximate number of villages of Diara region of Bihar linked with internet and mobile network by major telecom operators  during each of the last three years is as under:

| Financ ial Year   | Telecom Service Provider   | Telecom Service Provider   | Telecom Service Provider   | Telecom Service Provider   |
|-------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|
| Financ ial Year   | BSNL                       | Bharti Airtel              | Vodafone Idea Ltd.         | Reliance Jio               |
| 2016-17           | NIL                        | 10                         | 68                         | 2349                       |
| 2017-18           | NIL                        | 36                         | 0                          | 3494                       |
| 2018-19           | 20                         | 37                         | 3                          | 2283                       |

The  details  of  funds  spent  by  Government  in  the  Diara  Region  of  Bihar  are  not  available separately.  However, amount of funds disbursed by the Government in Bihar during  the last three years is as under:

## (i) Amount disbursed from USOF under LWE project:

|         | Financial Year   | (Amount in Rupees Crore)   |
|---------|------------------|----------------------------|
| 2016-17 | 2017-18          | 2018-19                    |
| 29.8    | 53.91            | 63.04                      |

- (ii) Amount disbursed for BharatNet by BBNL is enclosed as Annexure.

Annexure referred to in Reply of Part (b) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2854 to be answered on 10 th  July, 2019 raised by Hon'ble Member of Parliament Shri Ram Kripal Yadav regarding Telecom Linkages in Diara Region of Bihar

| Detail of funds disbursed for BharatNet by BBNL* (In Rupees Crore Approx.)   | Detail of funds disbursed for BharatNet by BBNL* (In Rupees Crore Approx.)   | Detail of funds disbursed for BharatNet by BBNL* (In Rupees Crore Approx.)   | Detail of funds disbursed for BharatNet by BBNL* (In Rupees Crore Approx.)   | Detail of funds disbursed for BharatNet by BBNL* (In Rupees Crore Approx.)   |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S. No.                                                                       | State                                                                        | Financial Year                                                               | Financial Year                                                               | Financial Year                                                               |
|                                                                              |                                                                              | 2016-17                                                                      | 2017-18                                                                      | 2018-19                                                                      |
| 1                                                                            | Bihar                                                                        | 190.09                                                                       | 22.53                                                                        | 48.37                                                                        |
| * *GPON &OFC                                                                 | * *GPON &OFC                                                                 | 555.44                                                                       | 258.41                                                                       |                                                                              |

Note*:  Funds  have  been  disbursed  to  three  Central  Public  Sector  Undertakings  (CPSUs) namely BSNL, Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. (PGCIL) and RailTel for Phase-I and to  CPSUs  and  State  Governments  for  Phase-II  implementation  of  BharatNet  Project. Reconciliation  of  Data  regarding  Utilization  of  funds  by  CPSUs/  State  Governments  is underway.

Note:** The Payment has been made to 3 CPSUs for decentralized procurements. State wise data  is  not  available  as  the  payment  has  been  released  on  lumpsum  basis.  The  state  wise reconciliation is being done.

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