Lok Sabha Question No. 315 (STARRED), answered on 2021-03-17
Subject: Landline Connections
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Sougata Ray

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 315 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17 TH  MARCH, 2021

## LANDLINE CONNECTIONS

| *315.                                                                                                                | PROF. SAUGATA RAY: Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:                                               |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| (a)                                                                                                                  | the number of existing landline connections in the country, State/UT-wise;                                                |
| (b) years;                                                                                                           | the reasons for decline, if any, in the number of landline connections during the last three                              |
| (c)                                                                                                                  | whether the Government proposes to use the existing landline connection infrastructure/facilities for any other purposes; |
| (d)                                                                                                                  | if so, the details thereof; and                                                                                           |
| (e)                                                                                                                  | if not, the future of the said infrastructure/ facilities?                                                                |
| ANSWER MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS, LAW&JUSTICE AND ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD) | ANSWER MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS, LAW&JUSTICE AND ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)      |
| (a) to (e)                                                                                                           | A statement is laid on the Table of the House.                                                                            |

## STATEMENT TO BE LAID ON THE TABLE OF LOK SABHA IN RESPECT OF PARTS (a) TO (e)  OF  THE  LOK  SABHA  STARRED QUESTION NO. *315 FOR 17 th   MARCH, 2021 REGARDING 'LANDLINE CONNECTIONS'

(a) & (b) The service area wise number of landline connections in the country during the last three years and current year is given at Annexure . The decline in the number of  landline connections is, inter-alia,  due to the users finding mobile services to be more convenient with regards to its utility, mobility and availability at all times.

(c) to (e) The service providers are progressively making use of the existing landline infrastructure for providing Broadband services in the country.

Annexure  referred  to  in  reply  to  part  (a)    of  Lok  Sabha  Starred    Question  no.  *315  to  be answered on 17 th March 2021 regarding Landline Connections.

Service  area  wise  landline  connections  during  the  last  three  years  and  current  year  as  on 31.01.2021.

(in Million)

| S.No.            | Service area         |   As on 31st March |   As on 31st March |   As on 31st March |   As on 31st January |
|------------------|----------------------|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|----------------------|
| S.No.            | Service area         |            2018    |            2019    |            2020    |              2021    |
| 1                | Andhra Pradesh       |               1.48 |               1.44 |               1.22 |                 1.38 |
| 2                | Assam                |               0.14 |               0.11 |               0.1  |                 0.13 |
| 3                | Bihar                |               0.28 |               0.23 |               0.16 |                 0.22 |
| 4                | Gujarat              |               1.27 |               1.24 |               0.87 |                 0.97 |
| 5                | Haryana              |               0.3  |               0.27 |               0.24 |                 0.23 |
| 6                | Himachal Pradesh     |               0.13 |               0.11 |               0.1  |                 0.09 |
| 7                | Jammu &Kashmir       |               0.12 |               0.1  |               0.12 |                 0.16 |
| 8                | Karnataka            |               2.22 |               2.15 |               2.1  |                 2.15 |
| 9                | Kerala               |               1.97 |               1.88 |               1.54 |                 1.26 |
| 10               | Madhya Pradesh       |               0.95 |               0.92 |               0.62 |                 0.7  |
| 11               | Maharashtra          |               1.73 |               1.52 |               1.31 |                 1.28 |
| 12               | North East           |               0.11 |               0.1  |               0.09 |                 0.1  |
| 13               | Orissa               |               0.28 |               0.24 |               0.2  |                 0.21 |
| 14               | Punjab               |               0.86 |               0.77 |               0.66 |                 0.7  |
| 15               | Rajasthan            |               0.6  |               0.54 |               0.45 |                 0.46 |
| 16               | Tamil Nadu           |               2.32 |               2.19 |               1.91 |                 1.88 |
| 17               | Uttar Pradesh (East) |               0.42 |               0.45 |               0.37 |                 0.4  |
| 18               | Uttar Pradesh (West) |               0.39 |               0.3  |               0.25 |                 0.32 |
| 19               | West Bengal          |               0.28 |               0.23 |               0.17 |                 0.25 |
| 20               | Kolkata              |               0.79 |               0.71 |               0.62 |                 0.67 |
| 21               | Delhi                |               3.19 |               3.26 |               3.18 |                 3.48 |
| 22               | Mumbai               |               2.99 |               2.92 |               2.86 |                 3.04 |
| All- India Total | All- India Total     |              22.81 |              21.7  |              19.13 |                20.08 |

Source: DoT