Lok Sabha Question No. 32 (STARRED), answered on 2024-11-27
Subject: Expansion of Communication Services
Ministry: COMMUNICATION
Asked by: Shri Rahul Kaswan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 32 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27 TH  NOVEMBER, 2024

## EXPANSION OF COMMUNICATION SERVICES

## *32 SHRI RAHUL KASWAN:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  there  has  been  any  review  of  the  decision  taken  by  the  Telecom  Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) regarding the expansion of communication services in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the  details  of  ongoing  projects  regarding  the expansion  of telephone and mobile services during the last three years and the current year, especially in Rajasthan;
- (d) the  number  of  towers  that  were  demanded  to  be  installed  in  Churu  district  of  Rajasthan during the last three years and the number of towers which have actually been installed indicating the time by which the remaining towers are likely to be installed, location-wise; and
- (e) whether the  Government has started  5G  service on  BSNL  network  and  if  so,  the details, location and tower-wise, especially in Churu district?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION (SHRI JYOTIRADITYA M. SCINDIA)

- (a) to (e) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT TO BE LAID ON THE TABLE OF LOK SABHA IN RESPECT OF PARTS (a) TO (e) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 32 FOR 27 TH  NOVEMBER, 2024 REGARDING 'EXPANSION OF COMMUNICATION SERVICES.'

(a) & (b) Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) was established in the year 1997 by an Act of Parliament to regulate the Telecommunication services. TRAI make recommendations, either suo motu or on a request from the Government as per sections 11(1)(a) of the TRAI Act. The Government takes into consideration various recommendations released by TRAI while formulating policies  for  expansion  of  communication  services  in  the  country.  In  last  10  years,  the  telecom connectivity in the Country has improved significantly, such as:

-  The total number of Base Transceiver Stations (BTSs) have increased from 6.49 Lakh in March2014 to 29.43 Lakh in November-2024.
-  Total mobile subscribers have increased from 90.45 Cr. in March 2014 to 116.38 Cr. in August 2024.
-  Internet subscribers have increased from 25.15 Cr. in March-2014 to 96.96 Cr. in June-2024.
-  As  of  September  2024, out  of  6,44,131  villages  in  the  country  (village  data as  per  Registrar General of India), 6,22,840 villages are covered with mobile connectivity.

(c) Mobile coverage is provided by the Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) based on their technocommercial  viability.  Government  is  implementing  various  schemes  under  Digital  Bharat  Nidhi (erstwhile USOF) for expansion of telecom connectivity through installation of Mobile Towers in the rural, tribal and remote areas of the country. The details of ongoing projects under Digital Bharat Nidhi in the country during last three years and the current year are at Annexure-I .

The details of ongoing projects for expansion of mobile services in Rajasthan is as follows:

- i. 354 Uncovered Village Project: The project is for provisioning of 4G mobile connectivity in uncovered areas of J&K, Ladakh, Border areas and other priority areas including Rajasthan. Under  this  project,  as  on  31.10.2024,  30  villages  of  Rajasthan  have  been  covered  by installation of 30 mobile towers.
- ii. 502  identified  uncovered  villages  in  Aspirational  District  Project:  The  project  is  for provisioning of 4G mobile connectivity in uncovered villages in the Aspirational Districts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh & Rajasthan. Under this project, as on 31.10.2024, 50 villages of Rajasthan have been covered by installation of 43 mobile towers.
- iii. Saturation  of  4G  mobile  services  in  uncovered  villages  Project:  The  project  is  for provisioning of 4G mobile connectivity in 24,680 uncovered villages in remote and difficult areas  of  country  including  Rajasthan  with  additional  provision to  include  20%  additional villages  on  account  of  rehabilitation,  new-settlements,  withdrawal  of  services  by  existing operators  etc.  Under  this  project,  as  on  31.10.2024,  348  villages  of  Rajasthan  have  been covered by installation of 292 mobile towers.

Further, under Phase IX.2 project of BSNL, so far, 666 mobile Base Transceiver Stations (BTSs) have been installed in Rajasthan.

(d) The details of mobile towers installed during the last three years and the current year in Churu district of Rajasthan are at Annexure-II .

(e) No. However, India has seen one of the fastest roll out of 5G services in the world with around 4.62 lakh BTSs deployed by other TSPs in the country, including 698 BTSs in Churu district of Rajasthan.

Annexure referred to in reply of part (c) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. *32 to be answered on 27 th   November, 2024 raised by Hon'ble Member of Parliament regarding 'Expansion of Communication Services'

Ongoing DBN projects in the country during last 3 years & current year:

| Mobile Projects/ Schemes   | Mobile Projects/ Schemes    | Mobile Projects/ Schemes    | Mobile Projects/ Schemes                                                                                                                                                        |
|----------------------------|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S. No.                     | Project / Scheme            | Agreement Cost (Rs. Cr.)    | Scope of BTS                                                                                                                                                                    |
| 1                          | 502 Aspirational Districts  | 414                         | 250                                                                                                                                                                             |
| 2                          | A&N Islands                 | 130                         | 88                                                                                                                                                                              |
| 3                          | LWE Phase-II                | 2,211                       | 1,266                                                                                                                                                                           |
| 4                          | Arunachal Pradesh &Assam    | 1,255                       | 773                                                                                                                                                                             |
| 5                          | 7287 Aspirational Districts | 3,685                       | 3,678                                                                                                                                                                           |
| 6                          | 4G Saturation               | 30,620                      | 17,901                                                                                                                                                                          |
| 7                          | BOP/BIP                     | 1,546                       | 585                                                                                                                                                                             |
| 8                          | Lakshadweep Islands         | 36                          | 37                                                                                                                                                                              |
| 9                          | LWE Phase-I Upgradation     | 2,426                       | 2,343                                                                                                                                                                           |
| Amended BharatNet          | Amended BharatNet           | Amended BharatNet           | Amended BharatNet                                                                                                                                                               |
| S. No.                     | Project / Scheme            | Sanctioned Amount (Rs. Cr.) | Coverage                                                                                                                                                                        |
| 10                         | Amended BharatNet Program   | 1,39,579                    | 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 |

## Annexure-II

Annexure  referred  to  in  reply  of  part  (d)  of  Lok  Sabha  Starred  Question  No.  *32  to  be answered  on  27 th   November,  2024  raised  by  Hon'ble  Member  of  Parliament  regarding 'Expansion of Communication Services'

| Name of District   |   The number of mobile towers installed by TSPs in the last 3 years and current year |   The number of mobile towers installed by TSPs in the last 3 years and current year |   The number of mobile towers installed by TSPs in the last 3 years and current year | The number of mobile towers installed by TSPs in the last 3 years and current year   |
|--------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|                    |                                                                                 2021 |                                                                                 2022 |                                                                                 2023 | Current Year 2024                                                                    |
| Churu              |                                                                                  142 |                                                                                  132 |                                                                                  116 | 19                                                                                   |

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