Lok Sabha Question No. 3508 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-22
Subject: IT Services in Villages
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Jagdambika Pal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3508

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 22.03.2023

## IT SERVICES IN VILLAGES

## 3508.  SHRI JAGDAMBIKA PAL:

Will  the  MINISTER  OF  ELECTRONICS  AND  INFORMATION  TECHNOLOGY  be pleased to state:

(a)  the  details  of  the  number  of  villages  that  got  access  to  IT  services  during  the  last  two years;

(b) whether any special initiatives have been taken by the Government to provide IT services to rural and backward regions of the country, State/UT-wise especially for the State of Uttar Pradesh;

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

(d) whether the Government intends to provide accessible IT services to all the villages in the country  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  time  by  which  it  is  proposed  to  be completed?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR)

(a): The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has apprised that it has been implementing the BharatNet project in a phased manner to create network to connect Gram Panchayats  (GPs)/  villages  with  broadband  in  the  country,  till  the  year  2025.  State-wise details  of  GPs  planned  and  service-ready  is  at  Annexure-I.    Further,  on  30.6.2021,  inprinciple approval has been accorded for extending BharatNet beyond GPs to villages.

Information technology (IT) services in villages are delivered using reliable connectivity. In this  regard,  it  is  further  informed  that  Common  Services  Centres  (CSCs)  have  been  setup across  the  country,  under  the  CSC  2.0  Project  under  the  Digital  India  programme  of  the Ministry  of  Electronics  and  Information  Technology.  CSC  e-Governance  Services  India Limited, a special purpose vehicle, is the implementing agency. The project aims to deliver eservices to rural citizens through CSCs and expand the CSC network till the Gram Panchayat level.  During  the  two-year  period  from  January  2021  to  January  2023,  a  total  of  1,49,358 CSCs in 1,37,170 Gram Panchayats have been set up and made functional across the country.

(b)  and  (c):  DoT  has  apprised  that  the  Government  of  India  has  launched  a  scheme  titled 'Special  Assistance  to  States  for  Capital  Investment  for  FY  2022-23'.  Under  thescheme, financial assistance is provided to State Governments in the form of a 50-year interest-free loan for capital investment projects. Guidelines on the said scheme have been issued by the Department of Expenditure. Under Part V (Optical Fibre Cable) of the Scheme, an amount of Rs.  3,000  crore  is  earmarked  for  States,  for  capital  projects  on  Optical  Fibre  Cable  (OFC) network.  DoT has apprised that  proposals  from  27  State  Governments  have  been  received under Part V. After examination of the proposals by DoT,  proposals of 26 State Governments(including  the  Government  of  Uttar  Pradesh),  amounting  to  Rs.2,894  crore, have  been  recommended  to  the  Department  of  Expenditure,  which  has  approved  projects amounting to  Rs.2,626  crore  in  respect  of  23  States,  including  the  State  of  Uttar  Pradesh. Details are at Annexure-II.

(d):  Yes,  Sir.  DoT  has  apprised  that,  as  of  March  2022,  out  of  6,44,131  villages  around 6,05,230  villages  have  mobile  connectivity  in  the  country.  State-wise  details  of  mobile coverage status in the country, as of March 2022, are at Annexure-III. DoT has also apprised that  in-principle  approval  has  been  accorded  on30.6.2021for  extending  BharatNet  beyond GPs upto villages and the completion of BharatNet Project is targeted by the year 2025.

It  is  further  informed  that  the  Government  is  providing  IT  services  in  GPs,  such  as government  services,  financial  services  and  services  related  to  Aadhaar,  various  social welfare  schemes,  education,  telemedicine,  travel  bookings,  utility  payments,  etc.,  through CSCs.Details of various services being provided by CSCs across the country are at Annexure IV.

****** Annexure-I BharatNet details in respect of Gram Panchayats (GPs) planned and service-ready

| S.N.   | States/Union territories                 | Total number of GPs   | Number of GPs made service-ready   |
|--------|------------------------------------------|-----------------------|------------------------------------|
| 1      | Assam                                    | 2,665                 | 1,511                              |
| 2      | Bihar                                    | 8,404                 | 8,316                              |
| 3      | Chhattisgarh                             | 11,673                | 9,552                              |
| 4      | Haryana                                  | 6,256                 | 6,082                              |
| 5      | Jammu and Kashmir                        | 4,299                 | 1,092                              |
| 6      | Karnataka                                | 6,090                 | 6,084                              |
| 7      | Kerala                                   | 978                   | 978                                |
| 8      | Madhya Pradesh                           | 22,844                | 17,813                             |
| 9      | Maharashtra                              | 27,939                | 23,830                             |
| 10     | Punjab                                   | 13,337                | 12,668                             |
| 11     | Rajasthan                                | 11,352                | 8,770                              |
| 12     | Uttar Pradesh                            | 59,365                | 41,512                             |
| 13     | Uttarakhand                              | 7,936                 | 1,824                              |
| 14     | West Bengal                              | 3,348                 | 2,564                              |
| 15     | Sikkim                                   | 185                   | 35                                 |
| 16     | Chandigarh                               | 12                    | 12                                 |
| 17     | Lakshadweep                              | 10                    | 9                                  |
| 18     | Arunachal Pradesh                        | 1,796                 | 964                                |
| 19     | Nagaland                                 | 983                   | 232                                |
| 20     | Manipur                                  | 2,782                 | 1,467                              |
| 21     | Mizoram                                  | 762                   | 452                                |
| 22     | Tripura                                  | 1,114                 | 729                                |
| 23     | Meghalaya                                | 1,792                 | 682                                |
| 24     | Gujarat                                  | 14,324                | 14,230                             |
| 25     | Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu | 38                    | 38                                 |
| 26     | Puducherry                               | 110                   | 98                                 |
| 27     | Andhra Pradesh                           | 13,416                | 5,206                              |
| 28     | Telangana                                | 12,769                | 9,149                              |
| 29     | Odisha                                   | 6,798                 | 6,782                              |
| 30     | Jharkhand                                | 4,416                 | 4,354                              |
| 31     | Himachal Pradesh                         | 3,616                 | 408                                |
| 32     | Ladakh                                   | 193                   | 192                                |
| 33     | Goa                                      | 191                   | 0                                  |
| 34     | Tamil Nadu                               | 12,525                | 1,553                              |
| 35     | Andaman and Nicobar Islands              | 70                    | 68                                 |
|        | Total                                    | 2,64,388              | 1,89,256                           |

Source: Department of Telecommunications

## Details of proposals approved by the Department of Expenditure under Part V (Optical Fibre Cable) of the 'Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment for 2022-23'

| S.N.   | State             | Amount recommended by the Department of Telecommunications (in crore Rs.)   | Amount approved by the Ministry of Finance (in crore Rs.)   |
|--------|-------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1.     | Andhra Pradesh    | 126                                                                         | 126                                                         |
| 2.     | Arunachal Pradesh | 50                                                                          | 50                                                          |
| 3.     | Assam             | 79                                                                          | 79                                                          |
| 4.     | Chhattisgarh      | 65                                                                          | 65                                                          |
| 5.     | Goa               | 50                                                                          | 50                                                          |
| 6.     | Gujarat           | 154                                                                         | 154                                                         |
| 7.     | Haryana           | 65                                                                          | 65                                                          |
| 8.     | Himachal Pradesh  | 50                                                                          | 50                                                          |
| 9.     | Jharkhand         | 84                                                                          | 84                                                          |
| 10.    | Karnataka         | 156                                                                         | 156                                                         |
| 11.    | Kerala            | 85                                                                          | 85                                                          |
| 12.    | Madhya Pradesh    | 185                                                                         | 185                                                         |
| 13.    | Maharashtra       | 286                                                                         | 286                                                         |
| 14.    | Manipur           | 50                                                                          | 50                                                          |
| 15.    | Meghalaya         | 50                                                                          | 50                                                          |
| 16.    | Mizoram           | 50                                                                          | 50                                                          |
| 17.    | Rajasthan         | 175                                                                         | 175                                                         |
| 18.    | Sikkim            | 50                                                                          | 50                                                          |
| 19.    | Tamil Nadu        | 184                                                                         | 184                                                         |
| 20.    | Tripura           | 50                                                                          | 50                                                          |
| 21.    | Uttar Pradesh     | 300                                                                         | 300                                                         |
| 22.    | Uttarakhand       | 50                                                                          | 50                                                          |
| 23.    | West Bengal       | 232                                                                         | 232                                                         |
|        | Total             | 2,894                                                                       | 2,626                                                       |

Source: Department of Telecommunications

Mobile coverage status of the villages of country as of March 2022

|       |                                          | Number of villages                                                  | Number of villages       |
|-------|------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------|
| S. N. | State/Union territory                    | As per data of the Registrar General of India (as of November 2019) | With mobile connectivity |
| 1     | Andaman and Nicobar Islands              | 559                                                                 | 298                      |
| 2     | Andhra Pradesh                           | 17,328                                                              | 14,357                   |
| 3     | Arunachal Pradesh                        | 5,993                                                               | 2,912                    |
| 4     | Assam                                    | 26,429                                                              | 24,346                   |
| 5     | Bihar                                    | 44,888                                                              | 44,634                   |
| 6     | Chhattisgarh                             | 20,072                                                              | 18,185                   |
| 7     | Chandigarh                               | NA                                                                  | NA                       |
| 8     | Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu | 95                                                                  | 62                       |
| 9     | Goa                                      | 392                                                                 | 351                      |
| 10    | Gujarat                                  | 18,425                                                              | 17,858                   |
| 11    | Haryana                                  | 6,640                                                               | 6,633                    |
| 12    | Himachal Pradesh                         | 20,852                                                              | 19,370                   |
| 13    | Jammu and Kashmir                        | 6,474                                                               | 5,652                    |
| 14    | Jharkhand                                | 32,370                                                              | 30,298                   |
| 15    | Karnataka                                | 29,818                                                              | 28,697                   |
| 16    | Kerala                                   | 1,438                                                               | 1,385                    |
| 17    | Ladakh                                   | 243                                                                 | 124                      |
| 18    | Lakshadweep                              | 27                                                                  | 23                       |
| 19    | Madhya Pradesh                           | 55,058                                                              | 51,966                   |
| 20    | Maharashtra                              | 43,931                                                              | 40,810                   |
| 21    | Manipur                                  | 2,612                                                               | 2,142                    |
| 22    | Meghalaya                                | 7,100                                                               | 4,672                    |
| 23    | Mizoram                                  | 867                                                                 | 626                      |
| 24    | Nagaland                                 | 1,535                                                               | 1,115                    |
| 25    | National Capital Territory of Delhi      | 55                                                                  | 55                       |
| 26    | Odisha                                   | 51,176                                                              | 44,584                   |
| 27    | Puducherry                               | 96                                                                  | 95                       |
| 28    | Punjab                                   | 12,534                                                              | 12,524                   |
| 29    | Rajasthan                                | 46,077                                                              | 42,761                   |
| 30    | Sikkim                                   | 461                                                                 | 157                      |
| 31    | Tamil Nadu                               | 16,488                                                              | 16,104                   |
| 32    | Telangana                                | 10,203                                                              | 10,000                   |
| 33    | Tripura                                  | 937                                                                 | 638                      |
| 34    | Uttar Pradesh                            | 1,05,531                                                            | 1,05,257                 |
| 35    | Uttarakhand                              | 16,456                                                              | 15,701                   |
| 36    | West Bengal                              | 40,971                                                              | 40,838                   |

Source: Department of Telecommunications

(as on 31.1.2023)

| S.N.   | State/Union territory                   | Total number of CSCs (urban andrural)   | Functional CSCs at Gram Panchayat level   |
|--------|-----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
| 1      | Andhra Pradesh                          | 10,148                                  | 7,556                                     |
| 2      | Arunachal Pradesh                       | 211                                     | 158                                       |
| 3      | Assam                                   | 12,606                                  | 11,517                                    |
| 4      | Bihar                                   | 54,356                                  | 48,660                                    |
| 5      | Chhattisgarh                            | 19,143                                  | 15,305                                    |
| 6      | Goa                                     | 234                                     | 174                                       |
| 7      | Gujarat                                 | 15,669                                  | 10,998                                    |
| 8      | Haryana                                 | 19,585                                  | 13,729                                    |
| 9      | Himachal Pradesh                        | 5,225                                   | 4,594                                     |
| 10     | Jharkhand                               | 21,674                                  | 18,958                                    |
| 11     | Karnataka                               | 9,655                                   | 6,317                                     |
| 12     | Kerala                                  | 7,479                                   | 5,833                                     |
| 13     | Madhya Pradesh                          | 44,406                                  | 33,696                                    |
| 14     | Maharashtra                             | 57,024                                  | 44,422                                    |
| 15     | Manipur                                 | 958                                     | 780                                       |
| 16     | Meghalaya                               | 954                                     | 849                                       |
| 17     | Mizoram                                 | 419                                     | 286                                       |
| 18     | Nagaland                                | 518                                     | 359                                       |
| 19     | Odisha                                  | 17,395                                  | 15,273                                    |
| 20     | Punjab                                  | 11,211                                  | 7,799                                     |
| 21     | Rajasthan                               | 23,553                                  | 19,098                                    |
| 22     | Sikkim                                  | 112                                     | 96                                        |
| 23     | Tamil Nadu                              | 14,510                                  | 9,786                                     |
| 24     | Telangana                               | 7,100                                   | 5,098                                     |
| 25     | Tripura                                 | 1,856                                   | 1,577                                     |
| 26     | Uttar Pradesh                           | 1,20,076                                | 95,579                                    |
| 27     | Uttarakhand                             | 9,450                                   | 7,007                                     |
| 28     | West Bengal                             | 25,448                                  | 23,026                                    |
| 29     | Andaman and Nicobar Islands             | 91                                      | 63                                        |
| 30     | Chandigarh                              | 133                                     | 10                                        |
| 31     | Dadra and Nagar Haveliand Daman and Diu | 106                                     | 72                                        |
| 32     | Delhi                                   | 4,233                                   | 176                                       |
| 33     | Jammu and Kashmir                       | 7,284                                   | 6,125                                     |
| 34     | Ladakh                                  | 101                                     | 88                                        |
| 35     | Lakshadweep                             | 10                                      | 10                                        |
| 36     | Puducherry                              | 275                                     | 154                                       |
|        | Total                                   | 5,23,208                                | 4,15,228                                  |

Source: CSC e-Governance Service India Limited

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