Lok Sabha Question No. 1481 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-02-10
Subject: Telecom Infrastructure in Rural and Remote Areas
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Heena Vijaykumar Gavit, Sambhajirao Mane Dhairyasheel, Sujay Radhakrishna Vikhepatil, Unmesh Bhaiyyasaheb Patil, Shrikant Eknath Shinde

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1481 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10 TH  FEBRUARY, 2021

## TELECOM INFRASTRUCTURE IN RURAL AND REMOTE AREAS

## 1481.   DR. HEENA GAVIT:

SHRI DHAIRYASHEEL SAMBHAJIRAO MANE: DR. SUJAY RADHAKRISHNA VIKHE PATIL: SHRI UNMESH BHAIYYASAHEB PATIL: DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether Government is providing any compensation to telecom service providers for creation and augmentation of telecom infrastructure in rural and remote areas;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) the details regarding budget provision made for this purpose during the last three years;
- (d) whether any such funds have been allocated for development of telecom infrastructure in rural and remote areas of Maharashtra; and
- (e) if so, the details therof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) & (b)  Yes, The Government has created a USO Fund which is being used for providing viability gap funding for creation and augmentation of telecom infrastructure in rural and remote areas.
- (c) The details of budget provision (amount disbursed) for the said purpose during last three years is as under:

| Financial Year   |   2017-18 |   2018-19 |   2019-20 |
|------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| Rs. in Crore     |    930.57 |    549.43 |   1008.87 |

(d) & (e) Yes, Rs. 1541.01 crore has been disbursed (since inception) from USOF for development of telecom  infrastructure in rural and  remote  areas  of  Maharashtra.  The  detail is enclosed  as Annexure-A .

## ANNEXURE-A

| The details of disbursement of funds (since inception) from USOF for development of telecom infrastructure in rural and remote areas of Maharashtra   | The details of disbursement of funds (since inception) from USOF for development of telecom infrastructure in rural and remote areas of Maharashtra   | The details of disbursement of funds (since inception) from USOF for development of telecom infrastructure in rural and remote areas of Maharashtra   |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Sl. No.                                                                                                                                               | Name of Scheme                                                                                                                                        | Rs. in Crore                                                                                                                                          |
| 1                                                                                                                                                     | Provision of Mobile Services in Left Wing Extremism Affected Areas                                                                                    | 100.24                                                                                                                                                |
| 2                                                                                                                                                     | Replacement of Multi Access Radio Relay Village Public Telephones (MARR VPTs)                                                                         | 119.74                                                                                                                                                |
| 3                                                                                                                                                     | Shared Mobile Infrastructure Scheme                                                                                                                   | 45.74                                                                                                                                                 |
| 4                                                                                                                                                     | Sanchar Shakti                                                                                                                                        | 0.32                                                                                                                                                  |
| 5                                                                                                                                                     | Village Public Telephone (VPT) in uncovered villages Phase I as per census 1991                                                                       | 21.01                                                                                                                                                 |
| 6                                                                                                                                                     | VPTs in uncovered villages, Phase II as per census 2001                                                                                               | 13.28                                                                                                                                                 |
| 7                                                                                                                                                     | Rural Community Phones                                                                                                                                | 6.00                                                                                                                                                  |
| 8                                                                                                                                                     | Rural Household Direct Exchange Lines (RDELs)                                                                                                         | 1056.17                                                                                                                                               |
| 9                                                                                                                                                     | Operation and Maintenance of Village Public Telephones                                                                                                | 47.55                                                                                                                                                 |
| 10                                                                                                                                                    | Setting up of Wi-Fi Hotspot at Rural Exchanges of BSNL                                                                                                | 65.76                                                                                                                                                 |
| 11                                                                                                                                                    | Rural Wireline Broadband                                                                                                                              | 65.20                                                                                                                                                 |
|                                                                                                                                                       | Total                                                                                                                                                 | 1541.01                                                                                                                                               |

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