Lok Sabha Question No. 1404 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-02-10
Subject: Mobile Connectivity in Naxal Affected Areas
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Sanjay Sadashivrao Mandlik, Chandra Sekhar Sahu, Shrirang Appa Barne, Sudheer Gupta, Bidyut Baran Mahato, Chandra Sekhar Sahu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1404 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10 TH  FEBRUARY, 2021

## MOBILE CONNECTIVITY IN NAXAL AFFECTED AREAS

1404.   SHRI SANJAY SADASHIVRAO MANDLIK:

SHRI CHANDRA SEKHAR SAHU:

SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE:

SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether mobile connectivity is very poor in naxal affected areas in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (c) the number of places identified by the Government for installation of mobile towers in naxal affected areas of the country;
- (d) the number of places out of these where such mobile towers have already been installed so far;
- (e) the  number  of  identified  places  where  such  towers  have  not  been  installed  along  with  the reasons for the same; and
- (f) the  efforts  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  for  expansion  of  mobile  towers  in  naxal affected areas in the country?

## ANSWER

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

(a) & (b)  Out of total number of 96,794 inhabited villages in 90 districts in 11 States affected by Left Wing  Extremism  (LWE),  85,894  villages  have  mobile  connectivity.  The  reasons  for  not  having mobile  services  in  the  remaining  villages  include,  inter-alia,  remote  and  difficult  terrain,  areas diversely located with scattered population and commercially non-viable operations.

(c)  to  (f)  Mobile  connectivity  in  the  uncovered  villages  is  being  provided  by  Government  and  the Telecom Service Providers in a phased manner. Under Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas Phase-I scheme sanctioned under Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), 2,343 mobile towers at locations  identified  across  the  LWE  states  have  been  installed  and  are  providing  mobile  services. Under Left Wing Extremism (LWE) Phase-II scheme sanctioned under USOF, 2,542 locations for mobile  towers  across  the  LWE  states  have  been  identified.  State-wise  details  of  identified  tower locations under LWE Phase-II scheme are as below:

| Sl. No.   | State          |   No. of Tower Locations identifiedbyMHA |
|-----------|----------------|------------------------------------------|
| 1         | Andhra Pradesh |                                      346 |
| 2         | Bihar          |                                       16 |
| 3         | Chhattisgarh   |                                      971 |
| 4         | Jharkhand      |                                      450 |
| 5         | Madhya Pradesh |                                       23 |
| 6         | Maharashtra    |                                      125 |
| 7         | Odisha         |                                      483 |
| 8         | Telangana      |                                       53 |
| 9         | Uttar Pradesh  |                                       42 |
| 10        | West Bengal    |                                       33 |
|           | Total          |                                     2542 |

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