Lok Sabha Question No. 3625 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-17
Subject: Poor Network in Hilly Areas of Uttarakhand
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Ajay Bhatt

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3625 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17 TH  MARCH, 2021

## POOR NETWORK IN HILLY AREAS OF UTTARAKHAND

†3625. SHRI AJAY BHATT:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

(a) whether  the  Government  has  taken  note  of  the  fact  that  students  in  the  hilly  areas  of Uttarakhand  have  become  deprived  of  their  studies  due  to  poor  network  problem  during  online studies,  examination,  etc.  which  has  led  to  heavy  resentment  in  these  areas  and  if  so,  the  details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto along with the steps taken by the Government in this regard;

(b) whether  the  Government  is  formulating  any  plan  for  online  studies/examinations  due  to corona pandemic in the hilly areas of Uttarakhand;

- (c) if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS, EDUCATION AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI SANJAY DHOTRE)

(a) 7,873 number of mobile towers and 28,234 number of Base Transceiver Stations (BTSs) are providing mobile network coverage in Uttarakhand State. As per data collected from Telecom service providers (TSPs) in 2020, it is estimated that around 15,319 villages out of 15,745 inhabited villages in the State of Uttarakhand have mobile network coverage and 13,335 inhabited villages have 3G/4G mobile internet coverage. Mobile coverage in uncovered villages in the country is being provided by the Government and TSPs in a phased manner. Uttarakhand state has its own geographical difficulties and still there are some areas where internet accessibility may not be available due to which students could not get benefitted by online studies.

Ministry  of  Education  released  PRAGYATA  Guidelines  on  Digital/Online  Education.  The guidelines  provide  a  roadmap  or  pointers  for  carrying  forward  enhanced  quality  online  education. These  guidelines  are  useful  for  a  diverse  set  of  stakeholders  including  school  heads,  teachers, parents/teacher-educators and students. Keeping in view the availability of digital infrastructure, these guidelines briefs on various modes of digital education including online mode that depends more on availability of internet, partially online mode that utilizes the blended approach of digital technology and  other  offline  activities,  partial  and  offline  mode  that  utilizes  television  and  radio  as  a  major medium of instruction of education. The guidelines are available at https://mhrd.gov.in/sites/upload\_files/mhrd/files/pragyata-guidelines\_0.pdf

Education is  a  subject  in  the  Concurrent  List  of  the  Constitution  and  the  matter  relating  to education pertains to Central as well as the State Government concerned.The steps taken by all the states including Uttarakhand are shown in the report 'India Report Digital Education,June 2020 and available at https://www.mhrd.gov.in/sites/upload\_files/mhrd/files/India\_Report\_Digital\_Education\_0.pdf

Moreover,  to  improve  the  internet  connectivity  in  rural  areas,  CSC  e-Governance  Services India  Ltd.  (CSC-SPV)  of  Ministry  of  Electronics  and  Information  Technology  (MEITY)  has  been assigned the task of providing Fibre to the Home (FTTH) connectivity to the Government Institutions including  schools.  This  project  is  for  providing  Internet  connection  to  Government  schools  in respective Gram Panchayats.

Learning programmes have also been started in the form of offline learning tools in the form of radio, community radio and CBSE podcasts, toll free numbers, missed call, SMS based requests for  audio  content,  localized  radio  content  for  edutainment  etc.  The  medium  of  TV,  radio  has  been used for the students who do not have digital means.

Further,  BharatNet  project  is  being  implemented  by  Department  of  Telecommunications (DoT)  in  a  phased  manner  to  provide  broadband  connectivity  to  the  all  Gram  Panchayats  (GPs) (approx. 2.5 Lakh) in the country. Moreover, the proposal of the DoT for proliferation of Broadband through  Public  Wi-Fi  Networks  under  the  framework  of  Prime  Minister's  Wi-Fi  Access  Network Interface  (PM-WANI)  has  recently  been approved  by  the  Government.  The  proposal  will  enable proliferation  of  Broadband  internet  through  public  Wi-Fi  hotspots  which  will  facilitate  broadband access in the country including rural areas.

(b) to (d) The  Uttarakhand  State  in  Project  Approval  Board  (PAB)  for  2020-21  has  been allocated funds for Smart Classrooms in 929 schools with an outlay of Rs 2740.60 lakh.

Education is  a  subject  in  the  Concurrent  List  of  the  Constitution  and  the  matter  relating  to education  pertains  to  Central  as  well  as  the  State  Government  concerned.  Accordingly,  the  state governments have also been directed to act based on the situation prevailing at every place to meet the  demands  of  all  students  including  economically  weaker  students  and  tribes  especially  for providing them with the digital access required for learning digitally.

The steps taken by all the states including Uttarakhand are shown in the report 'India Report Digital Education, June 2020 and available at https://www.mhrd.gov.in/sites/upload\_files/mhrd/files/India\_Report\_Digital\_Education\_0.pdf

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