Lok Sabha Question No. 3133 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-19
Subject: 4G/5G Connectivity in Rural Areas of Uttar Pradesh
Ministry: COMMUNICATION
Asked by: Dr. Anand Kumar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3133 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19 TH  MARCH, 2025

## 4G/5G CONNECTIVITY IN RURAL AREAS OF UTTAR PRADESH

## 3133.   DR. ANAND KUMAR:

Will the Minister of  COMMUNICATION be pleased to state:

(a) the specific steps taken by the Government to improve mobile and internet connectivity in rural and remote areas and the timeline for completion of the said projects;

(b) whether the Government has conducted any study regarding availability and quality of 4G and 5G connectivity in such rural and remote areas;

(c) if  so,  the  details  thereof  in  respect  of  Uttar  Pradesh  including  Bahraich  Parliamentary Constituency;

- (d) whether the Government is working on any action plan to improve 4G and 5G connectivity in rural and remote areas of Bahraich Parliamentary Constituency;
- (e) the number of Gram Panchayats/Villages in Bahraich Parliamentary Constituency which are currently lacking mobile network coverage; and
- (f) the measures being taken to connect such Panchayats/Villages with mobile network?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT (DR. PEMMASANI CHANDRA SEKHAR)

(a) to (f) Out of 1,05,531 villages in Uttar Pradesh (as per data of Registrar General of India), 1,05,467  villages  are  covered  with  mobile  connectivity  and  out  of  these,  1,05,261  villages  are covered with 4G mobile connectivity. In Bahraich district, out of 1,390 villages, 1,388 villages are covered  with  mobile  connectivity  and  out  of  these,  1,383  villages  are  covered  with  4G  mobile connectivity.

Mobile  coverage  for  inhabited  uncovered  villages  is  provided  by  the  Telecom  Service Providers (TSPs) based on their techno-commercial viability. Government is implementing various schemes  under  Digital  Bharat  Nidhi  (DBN)  for  expansion  of  telecom  connectivity  through installation of 4G mobile towers in the rural, tribal and remote areas of the country, including Uttar Pradesh. As on February 2025, 150 towers have been commissioned in Uttar Pradesh under DBN funded mobile schemes, providing 4G mobile coverage to 182 villages. In Bahraich district, 3 towers have been commissioned under DBN funded mobile schemes, providing 4G mobile coverage to 3 villages.

BharatNet project is being implemented in a phased manner to provide connectivity to all the Gram Panchayats (GPs) for broadband services, such as Wi-Fi Hotspots, Fibre to the Home (FTTH)

connections  etc.  Further,  the  Union  Cabinet  has  approved  Amended  BharatNet  Program  for provisioning of connectivity to all GPs in the country in ring topology including upgrading existing network and connectivity to about 3.8 Lakh non-GP villages on demand basis.

To ensure the Quality of Service (QoS) for basic, mobile and broadband services, TRAI has laid down 'the Standards of Quality of Service of Access (Wireline and Wireless) and Broadband (Wireline  and  Wireless)  Service  Regulations,  2024'.  These  regulations  have  prescribed  QoS parameters  and  benchmarks  for  network  related  and  customer  service-related  parameters.  The Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) are required to ensure that the QoS parameters are within the benchmarks laid down by TRAI.

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