Lok Sabha Question No. 2499 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-21
Subject: Installation of Mobile Towers in Remote Villages
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: R.K. Singh Patel, Bhagirath Chaudhary

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2499 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21 st  DECEMBER, 2022

## INSTALLATION OF MOBILE TOWERS IN REMOTE VILLAGES

## †2499.    SHRI R.K. SINGH PATEL: SHRI BHAGIRATH CHOUDHARY:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether mobile towers are still not installed in various remote villages across the country;

(b) if  so,  the  time  by  which  the  vision  related  with  communication  revolution  in  remote villages is likely to be fulfilled;

(c) whether  the  demand  for  installation  of  BSNL  mobile  towers  in  various  villages  of Chitrakoot and Bandra district of Uttar Pradesh and in various villages of number of districts of Rajasthan has been persistent for a long time, if so, the detail thereof;

(d) whether the Government contemplates to start 5G services in Chitrakoot and Banda, if so, the details thereof;

(e) whether  the  Government  has  started  4G  services  in  Rajasthan,  if  so,  the  district-wise details thereof; and

(f) if not, the time by which it is likely to be started along with the action taken in this regard so far?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS (SHRI DEVUSINH CHAUHAN)

(a)  &  (b)        As  per  data  received  from  Telecom  Service  Providers  (TSPs),  Department  of Telecom's field unit and State Governments as of March '2022, out of 6,44,131 villages (villages are  as  per  data  of  Registrar  General  of  India  as  of  November  2019)  in  the  country,  around 6,05,230 villages are having mobile coverage and 38,901 villages are not having mobile towers and coverage.  Government and Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) provide telecommunication connectivity  in  the  country  in  a  phased  manner.  Government  through  funding  from  Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) is implementing various schemes for providing mobile network coverage in all uncovered villages of the country. The major USOF schemes are as below:

 Saturation of 4G mobile services in uncovered villages across the country. The estimated project cost is Rs. 26,316 Cr.

-  Provision of 4G mobile services in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas Phase-II. The estimated project cost is Rs. 2211 Cr.
-  Upgradation from 2G to 4G mobile technology of all LWE Phase-I sites. The estimated project cost is Rs. 2425 Cr.
-  Provision  of  4G  Mobile  Services  in  North  Eastern  Region  of  the  country  under Comprehensive Telecom Development Program for NER. The estimated cost for schemes is Rs. 3637 Cr.
-  Provision  of  4G  mobile  connectivity  in  7,287  Aspirational  District  villages  (Andhra Pradesh,  Chhattisgarh,  Jharkhand,  Maharashtra  and  Odisha)  and  provision  of  4G  mobile connectivity  in  502  uncovered  villages  of  Aspirational  Districts  in  four  States  (namely  Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh & Rajasthan).  The estimated cost for projects is Rs. 7152 Cr.
-  Provision  of  4G  mobile  connectivity  in  354  uncovered  villages  of  J&K,  Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Border area & other priority areas. The estimated project cost is Rs. 337 Cr.

 Provision  of  4G  Mobile  Coverage  in  85  uncovered  Villages  and  seamless  4G  Mobile coverage of NH223 in Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The estimated project cost is Rs 130 Cr.

(c) As such no demand from public is pending for installation of mobile towers of BSNL for Chitrakoot  and  Banda  districts  of  the  State  Uttar  Pradesh.  In  Chitrakoot  district,  out  of  657 villages, 635 number of villages are covered with mobile network and 22 villages are uncovered which are also being covered with mobile connectivity under USOF Schemes. All 734 villages of Banda district are having mobile network. In the State of Rajasthan, out of 46,077 villages, 42,761  villages  are  having  mobile  coverage  and  remaining  villages  are  being  covered  by Government and TSPs in phased manner.

(d) As  per  the  Notice  Inviting  Application  (NIA)  dated  15-06-2022  for  auction  of  5G spectrum and the license conditions, the rollout obligations are required to be met over a period of five years, in a phased manner, from the date of allocation of spectrum. Further expansion of mobile networks beyond the mandatory rollout obligations, depends on the techno-commercial consideration  of  the  TSPs.  The  5G  services  are  being  rolled  out  in  the  country  including  the Chitrakoot and Banda districts of the State Uttar Pradesh in phased manner.

(e)  & (f) The 4G services in the State of Rajasthan has already been started. The district wise details of 4G covered villages is attached in Annexure-I .

Annexure referred to in reply of part (e) & (f) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2499 to  be  answered  on  21/12/2022  raised  by  Hon'ble  Members  of  Parliament  regarding 'Installation of mobile towers in remote villages'

The districts-wise, details of 4G mobile covered villages of the State of Rajasthan is as below:

| District wise 4G mobile coverage Status for the State of Rajasthan as of March'2022   | District wise 4G mobile coverage Status for the State of Rajasthan as of March'2022   | District wise 4G mobile coverage Status for the State of Rajasthan as of March'2022   | District wise 4G mobile coverage Status for the State of Rajasthan as of March'2022   |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Sr. No.                                                                               | District Name*                                                                        | Total no. of Villages as per RGI Data(30-11- 2019)                                    | No. of Villages with 4G Mobile coverage                                               |
| 1                                                                                     | Ajmer                                                                                 | 1128                                                                                  | 1098                                                                                  |
| 2                                                                                     | Alwar                                                                                 | 2067                                                                                  | 1998                                                                                  |
| 3                                                                                     | Banswara                                                                              | 1540                                                                                  | 1481                                                                                  |
| 4                                                                                     | Baran                                                                                 | 1233                                                                                  | 1178                                                                                  |
| 5                                                                                     | Barmer                                                                                | 2964                                                                                  | 2271                                                                                  |
| 6                                                                                     | Bharatpur                                                                             | 1530                                                                                  | 1521                                                                                  |
| 7                                                                                     | Bhilwara                                                                              | 1910                                                                                  | 1831                                                                                  |
| 8                                                                                     | Bikaner                                                                               | 946                                                                                   | 830                                                                                   |
| 9                                                                                     | Bundi                                                                                 | 881                                                                                   | 858                                                                                   |
| 10                                                                                    | Chittaurgarh                                                                          | 1771                                                                                  | 1555                                                                                  |
| 11                                                                                    | Churu                                                                                 | 904                                                                                   | 892                                                                                   |
| 12                                                                                    | Dausa                                                                                 | 1136                                                                                  | 1051                                                                                  |
| 13                                                                                    | Dhaulpur                                                                              | 834                                                                                   | 781                                                                                   |
| 14                                                                                    | Dungarpur                                                                             | 1014                                                                                  | 961                                                                                   |
| 15                                                                                    | Ganganagar                                                                            | 3024                                                                                  | 2987                                                                                  |
| 16                                                                                    | Hanumangarh                                                                           | 1909                                                                                  | 1870                                                                                  |
| 17                                                                                    | Jaipur                                                                                | 2264                                                                                  | 2145                                                                                  |
| 18                                                                                    | Jaisalmer                                                                             | 855                                                                                   | 444                                                                                   |
| 19                                                                                    | Jalor                                                                                 | 822                                                                                   | 796                                                                                   |
| 20                                                                                    | Jhalawar                                                                              | 1626                                                                                  | 1547                                                                                  |
| 21                                                                                    | Jhunjhunun                                                                            | 982                                                                                   | 873                                                                                   |
| 22                                                                                    | Jodhpur                                                                               | 1909                                                                                  | 1759                                                                                  |
| 23                                                                                    | Karauli                                                                               | 900                                                                                   | 801                                                                                   |
| 24                                                                                    | Kota                                                                                  | 879                                                                                   | 876                                                                                   |
| 25                                                                                    | Nagaur                                                                                | 1641                                                                                  | 1588                                                                                  |
| 26                                                                                    | Pali                                                                                  | 1047                                                                                  | 945                                                                                   |
| 27                                                                                    | Pratapgarh                                                                            | 1009                                                                                  | 942                                                                                   |
| 28                                                                                    | Rajsamand                                                                             | 1084                                                                                  | 839                                                                                   |
| 29                                                                                    | Sawai Madhopur                                                                        | 825                                                                                   | 797                                                                                   |
| 30                                                                                    | Sikar                                                                                 | 1191                                                                                  | 1147                                                                                  |
| 31                                                                                    | Sirohi                                                                                | 506                                                                                   | 427                                                                                   |
| 32                                                                                    | Tonk                                                                                  | 1210                                                                                  | 1185                                                                                  |
| 33                                                                                    | Udaipur                                                                               | 2536                                                                                  | 2069                                                                                  |
| Total                                                                                 | Total                                                                                 | 46077                                                                                 | 42343                                                                                 |

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