Lok Sabha Question No. 43 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-02
Subject: Teledensity & Mobile Service Coverage
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Pradyut Bordoloi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 43 TO BE ANSWERED ON 2 ND  FEBRUARY, 2022

## TELEDENSITY & MOBILE SERVICE COVERAGE

## 43. SHRI PRADYUT BORDOLOI:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

(a) the  details  of  data  on  the  teledensity  and  mobile  service  coverage  in  the  Northeast Region(NER) between 2014 and 2021, State and year-wise;

(b) whether the Government is currently taking any measures to improve teledensity and mobile service coverage in the NER and if so, the details thereof;

- (c) The status of implementation of Bharat Net in the NER and the details thereof;
- (d) Whether the Government is employing new technologies to overcome geographical barriers in order to expand telecom coverage in the NER, if so, details thereof; and

(e) Whether the Government took any measures to expand internet coverage or access to internet  connections  in  the  NER  for  students  during  the  COVID  pandemic  and  if  so,  the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a) As  per  the  information  provided  by  the  Telecom  Regulatory  Authority  of  India (TRAI),  State  and  year-wise  data  of  the  North  Eastern  Region  (NER)  between  2014  and 2021, is given in Annexure-I .

(b) Mobile services are provided in a phased manner by the Government in the uncovered villages,  and  Telecom  Services  Provider  (TSPs)  in  the  country.  The  Government  has  the following schemes in the NER under Universal Service Obligation Fund:

-  Scheme for provision of mobile services in uncovered villages in Assam, Manipur, Mizoram,  Nagaland,  Tripura,  Sikkim,  and  Arunachal  Pradesh  (National  Highways only) of NER and seamless coverage along National Highway.
-  Scheme  for  provision  of  mobile  services  in  uncovered  villages  of  Meghalaya  and seamless coverage along National Highway.
-  Scheme for provision of mobile services in uncovered villages of Arunachal Pradesh and 2 Districts (Karbi Anglong & Dima Hasao) of Assam.

(c) & (d) BharatNet project is implemented in a phased manner to provide broadband connectivity to all Gram Panchayats (GPs) in the country (including NER). On 30.06.2021, the  scope  of  BharatNet  was  extended  upto  all  inhabited  villages  beyond  GPs,  alongwith

approval  for  a  revised  strategy  for  implementation  of  BharatNet  through  Public-Private Partnership  (PPP)  model  in  16  States  of  the  country,  including  seven  states  of  NER  (i.e. Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh). Request for Proposal (RFP) has been floated for implementing the project on 20.07.2021. The Statewise details of Service Ready Gram Panchayats (GPs) under BharatNet Project in NER are given in Annexure-II.

GPs  falling  in  remote  and  hilly  areas  of  NER,  where  laying  of  Optical  Fiber  is difficult,  BharatNet  connectivity  is  provided  through  satellite  media.  The  newly  developed High  Throughput  Satellites  (HTS)  of  Indian  Space  Research  Organization  (ISRO),  viz. GSAT-11  and  GSAT-19,  are  being  used  to  expand  telecom  coverage  in  hilly  and  areas having difficult access of NER.

(e) The  internet  services  are  provided  over  Mobile  and  Wireline  Media  by  Telecom Service  Providers,  and  Government  through  USOF  funded  Schemes  in  NER.    The  above internet services have been utilized by the citizens, including students.

## Annexure-I

## Annexure referred to in part (a) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 43 for answer on 02.02.2022 State-wise Data on the Teledensity in the Northern Eastern Region (NER) form June-2014 to June-2021

| State             | As on June-14                             | As on June-14          | As on June-15                               | As on June-15          | As on June-16                               | As on June-16          | As on June-17                               | As on June-17          | As on June-18                              | As on June-18          | As on June-19                               | As on June-19          | As on June-20                              | As on June-20           | As on June-21                              | As on June-21          |
|-------------------|-------------------------------------------|------------------------|---------------------------------------------|------------------------|---------------------------------------------|------------------------|---------------------------------------------|------------------------|--------------------------------------------|------------------------|---------------------------------------------|------------------------|--------------------------------------------|-------------------------|--------------------------------------------|------------------------|
|                   | Total Tele- density (Wireline + Wireless) | Wireless Tele- density | Total Tele- densit y (Wire line+ Wirel ess) | Wireless Tele- density | Total Tele- densit y (Wirel ine+ Wirele ss) | Wireless Tele- density | Total Tele- densit y (Wire line+ Wirel ess) | Wireless Tele- density | Total Tele- density (Wireli ne+ Wirele ss) | Wireless Tele- density | Total Tele- densit y (Wirel ine+ Wirele ss) | Wireless Tele- density | Total Tele- density (Wireli ne+ Wireles s) | Wireles s Tele- density | Total Tele- density (Wireli ne+ Wireles s) | Wireless Tele- density |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 70.72                                     | 69.75                  | 77.16 76.25                                 | 81.84                  | 80.96                                       |                        | 91.16                                       | 90.33                  | 100.43                                     | 98.65                  | 96.68                                       | 94.92                  | 85.41 84                                   |                         | 89.66                                      | 88.55                  |
| Manipur           |                                           |                        |                                             |                        |                                             |                        |                                             |                        | 81.35                                      | 80.59                  | 91.63                                       | 90.87                  | 73.6                                       | 72.97                   | 77.22                                      | 76.45                  |
| Meghalaya         |                                           |                        |                                             |                        |                                             |                        |                                             |                        | 73.12                                      | 72.48                  | 80.32                                       | 79.74                  | 70.78                                      | 70.23                   | 75.06                                      | 74.22                  |
| Mizoram           |                                           |                        |                                             |                        |                                             |                        |                                             |                        | 109.89                                     | 108.57                 | 123.63                                      | 122.45                 | 110.66                                     | 109.73                  | 117.58                                     | 116.05                 |
| Nagaland          |                                           |                        |                                             |                        |                                             |                        |                                             |                        | 65.38                                      | 64.91                  | 70.4                                        | 70.11                  | 74.57                                      | 74.27                   | 75.46                                      | 74.95                  |
| Tripura           |                                           |                        |                                             |                        |                                             |                        |                                             |                        | 82.98                                      | 82.45                  | 75.02                                       | 74.52                  | 76.27                                      | 75.78                   | 78.93                                      | 78.16                  |
| Assam             | 49.5                                      | 48.92                  | 55.05 54.33                                 | 59.46                  | 58.97                                       |                        | 67.69                                       | 67.24                  | 63.52                                      | 63.13                  | 70.34                                       | 70.01                  | 67.83                                      | 67.51                   | 71.75                                      | 71.29                  |
| Sikkim            | -                                         | -                      | - -                                         | -                      |                                             | -                      | -                                           | -                      | 112.8                                      | 111.81                 | 113.66                                      | 112.79                 | 100.21                                     | 99.44                   | 142.49                                     | 141.7                  |

## Note:

1. Form June 2014 to June-2017, State wise density is not available, therefore, Licensed Service Area (LSA)-wise tele density has been provided for this period in above table.

2. The yearly comparison of teledensity is of the June of the corresponding year as the least data on state-wise teledensity published by TRAI is of June,2021

3. Data for Sikkim upto the year 2017 is not available separately and has been included in West Bengal LSA

## Annexure-II

Annexure referred to in parts (c) & (d) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 43 for answer on 02.02.2022

## State-wise details of Service Ready Gram Panchayats (GPs) in North Eastern Region under BharatNet Project

| S. No.   | State             |   Number of GPs made Service Ready (as of December 2021) |
|----------|-------------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
| 1.       | Assam             |                                                     1507 |
| 2.       | Sikkim            |                                                       23 |
| 3.       | Arunachal Pradesh |                                                      768 |
| 4.       | Manipur           |                                                     1436 |
| 5.       | Meghalaya         |                                                      625 |
| 6.       | Mizoram           |                                                      452 |
| 7.       | Nagaland          |                                                      230 |
| 8.       | Tripura           |                                                      720 |
| Total    | Total             |                                                     5761 |

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