Lok Sabha Question No. 612 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-16
Subject: Pending Application for Landline Connections
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Ashok Kumar Rawat

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS

## DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 612 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16 TH  SEPTEMBER, 2020

## PENDING APPLICATION FOR LANDLINE CONNECTIONS

## †612. SHRI ASHOK KUMAR RAWAT:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has allocated any funds during the last three years to speed up the telecom system, develop it, make it effective and grant benefits to the consumers;
- (b) if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise;
- (c) the State-wise/category wise/exchange-wise number of applicants of land line connections;
- (d) the time by which the said applicants would be provided connections; and
- (e) the effective steps being taken to address the ever increasing complaints of telephone subscribers?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) The Government allocate funds under various schemes for development of telecom network.
- (b) Scheme-wise and year-wise details of funds allocated during the last three years and the current year are given below.  State/UT-wise allocation is not made.
- (c) State /Telecom Circle wise number of applicants of land line connections pending at present is as follow:
- (d) Pending waiting list of Landline connections will be cleared by the end of December 2020, subject to technical feasibility.
- (e) The reply is enclosed as Annexure-A

| (Rs. in crore)                         | (Rs. in crore)   | (Rs. in crore)   | (Rs. in crore)   | (Rs. in crore)   |
|----------------------------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|
| Name of Schemes / Projects             | B.E. 2017-18     | B.E. 2018-19     | B.E. 2019-20     | B.E. 2020-21     |
| USOF - Bharat Net                      | 10000.00         | 8175.00          | 6000.00          | 6000.00          |
| USOF Projects other than Bharat Net    | 1636.18          | 1825.00          | 2350.00          | 2000.00          |
| OFC Based Network for Defence Services | 3000.00          | 4500.00          | 4725.00          | 5000.00          |
| 5G Test Bed                            | 0.00             | 134.48           | 38.59            | 45.00            |
| TOTAL                                  | 14636.18         | 14634.48         | 13113.59         | 13045.00         |

| Sl. No.   | State/ Telecom Circle   |   Urban |   Rural |   Total |
|-----------|-------------------------|---------|---------|---------|
| 1         | Gujarat                 |      56 |       9 |      65 |
| 2         | Uttar Pradesh (West)    |      82 |      11 |      93 |
| 3         | Uttar Pradesh (East)    |       5 |       4 |       9 |
| 4         | Maharashtra             |     454 |      82 |     536 |
| Total     | Total                   |     597 |     106 |     703 |

## Reply to Para No. (e) of Lok Sabha Question No. 612 to be answered on 16/09/2020

The effective steps being taken to address the ever increasing complaints of telephone subscribers are as under:

1. For redressal of complaints, SLA based outsourcing tender has been finalized and new vendors have started working in many places.
2. New plans to attract customers for both landline and broadband service. BSNL offer both Voice and data from all BSNL Exchanges.
3. 3 Since the land line faults mainly occur due to damage of underground (UG) cable, during road works, all circles/field units have been asked for close coordination with the local bodies, PWD, Water authority and NHAI authorities. In addition, regular patrolling of important cable routes is done to prevent cable thefts/cable damages.
4. 4 Monitoring of the network has also been strengthened to ensure performance as per the quality of service parameters prescribed by TRAI.
5. 5 Timely availability of store items like cable and drop-wire to field units of BSNL to maintain and improve the network.
6. 6 Rehabilitation/Upgradation of outdoor network is being done to reduce the landline faults.
7. 7 Round the clock Toll free complaint booking mechanism. A stringent monitoring procedure is being adopted for prompt and timely clearance of customers complaints through exclusive section at all level of the organization.
8. 8 BSNL has upgraded all CDOT TDM Telephone Exchanges by IP based exchanges.

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