Lok Sabha Question No. 2744 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-10
Subject: Disruption in Digital Infrastructure
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Rajiv Pratap Rudy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2744 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10 TH  MARCH, 2021

## DISRUPTION IN DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE

## 2744. SHRI RAJIV PRATAP RUDY:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  taken  note  of  disruptions  in  digital  infrastructure  caused  by infrastructure related construction activities like laying roads, railways, etc.;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the measures taken by the Government in this regard;
- (c) the details and the major recommendations of the report by the Committee of Secretaries formed to examine the possibilities of development of common/integrated infrastructure such as common ducts for utilities including telecom services;
- (d) whether  there  is  a  huge  gap  in  internet  connectivity  and  digital/network  infrastructure  between States; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise and the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

(a) & (b) Yes  Sir. Any  disruptions in digital infrastructure caused by infrastructure related construction activities like laying roads, railways etc. are immediately repaired by the Telecom Services Providers. Further, the Government has launched the National Broadband Mission to establish a robust and secure pan India Digital Communications Infrastructure which envisages creating digital fibre map of the country to address such disruptions.

- (c) The Committee of Secretaries submitted its  report  on  'Development of  Integrated  Infrastructure and Common Right of Way' on 25 th  June, 2018. Major recommendations of the report inter-alia include:
- i) Common RoW Framework
- ii) Common Ducts Agency (CDA)
- iii) Waiver of RoW for Government Departments
- iv) Development of Railway Tracks on Road Medians

(d) & (e) Out of 5,97,618 inhabited villages in the country, as per Census-2011, 5,58,537 villages covering 94% of the inhabited villages have been provided high speed mobile broadband internet facility of 3G or 4G mobile technologies. State/UT wise details of villages are at Annexure.

## ANNEXURE

| State/UT-Wise list of count of Villages with High Speed Internet Facility   | State/UT-Wise list of count of Villages with High Speed Internet Facility   | State/UT-Wise list of count of Villages with High Speed Internet Facility   | State/UT-Wise list of count of Villages with High Speed Internet Facility   |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Sl. No.                                                                     | State/UT                                                                    | No of inhabited villages as per Census 2011                                 | No. of villages high Speed internet Facility( 3G or 4G Technologies)        |
| 1                                                                           | Andaman &Nicobar Islands                                                    | 396                                                                         | 83                                                                          |
| 2                                                                           | Andhra Pradesh                                                              | 16158                                                                       | 14072                                                                       |
| 3                                                                           | Arunachal Pradesh                                                           | 5258                                                                        | 2761                                                                        |
| 4                                                                           | Assam                                                                       | 25372                                                                       | 24148                                                                       |
| 5                                                                           | Bihar                                                                       | 39073                                                                       | 38733                                                                       |
| 6                                                                           | Chandigarh                                                                  | 5                                                                           | 5                                                                           |
| 7                                                                           | Chhattisgarh                                                                | 19567                                                                       | 16624                                                                       |
| 8                                                                           | Dadra &Nagar Haveli &Daman Diu                                              | 84                                                                          | 79                                                                          |
| 9                                                                           | Goa                                                                         | 320                                                                         | 279                                                                         |
| 10                                                                          | Gujarat                                                                     | 17843                                                                       | 16932                                                                       |
| 11                                                                          | Haryana                                                                     | 6642                                                                        | 6641                                                                        |
| 12                                                                          | Himachal Pradesh                                                            | 17882                                                                       | 16934                                                                       |
| 13                                                                          | Jammu &Kashmir                                                              | 6101                                                                        | 5763                                                                        |
| 14                                                                          | Jharkhand                                                                   | 29492                                                                       | 27397                                                                       |
| 15                                                                          | Karnataka                                                                   | 27397                                                                       | 26705                                                                       |
| 16                                                                          | Kerala                                                                      | 1017                                                                        | 1017                                                                        |
| 17                                                                          | Ladakh                                                                      | 236                                                                         | 83                                                                          |
| 18                                                                          | Lakshadweep                                                                 | 6                                                                           | 4                                                                           |
| 19                                                                          | Madhya Pradesh                                                              | 51929                                                                       | 48366                                                                       |
| 20                                                                          | Maharashtra                                                                 | 40959                                                                       | 37572                                                                       |
| 21                                                                          | Manipur                                                                     | 2515                                                                        | 1704                                                                        |
| 22                                                                          | Meghalaya                                                                   | 6459                                                                        | 3813                                                                        |
| 23                                                                          | Mizoram                                                                     | 704                                                                         | 411                                                                         |
| 24                                                                          | Nagaland                                                                    | 1400                                                                        | 1057                                                                        |
| 25                                                                          | NCTof Delhi                                                                 | 103                                                                         | 103                                                                         |
| 26                                                                          | Odisha                                                                      | 47677                                                                       | 39546                                                                       |
| 27                                                                          | Puducherry                                                                  | 90                                                                          | 90                                                                          |
| 28                                                                          | Punjab                                                                      | 12168                                                                       | 12168                                                                       |
| 29                                                                          | Rajasthan                                                                   | 43264                                                                       | 41716                                                                       |
| 30                                                                          | Sikkim                                                                      | 425                                                                         | 403                                                                         |
| 31                                                                          | Tamil Nadu                                                                  | 15049                                                                       | 14939                                                                       |
| 32                                                                          | Telangana                                                                   | 10128                                                                       | 9793                                                                        |
| 33                                                                          | Tripura                                                                     | 863                                                                         | 802                                                                         |
| 34                                                                          | Uttar Pradesh                                                               | 15745                                                                       | 97049                                                                       |
| 35                                                                          | Uttarakhand                                                                 | 97813                                                                       | 13281                                                                       |
| 36                                                                          | West Bengal                                                                 | 37478                                                                       | 37464                                                                       |
|                                                                             | Total                                                                       | 597618                                                                      | 558537                                                                      |

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