Lok Sabha Question No. 272 (STARRED), answered on 2025-03-19
Subject: Mobile Network Connection in Border Areas
Ministry: COMMUNICATION
Asked by: Shri Harish Chandra Meena

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 272 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19 TH  MARCH, 2025

## MOBILE NETWORK CONNECTION IN BORDER AREAS

## †*272.  SHRI HARISH CHANDRA MEENA:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATION be pleased to state:

(a) the details of the number of the border villages without any mobile network connectivity in Rajasthan;

(b) the measures taken/being taken by the Government to ensure mobile network connectivity in the strategic border areas; and

(c) the  time  by  which  the  border  villages  are  likely  to  be  provided  with  mobile  network connectivity?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (c) 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 (c) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.272 FOR 19 TH  MARCH, 2025 REGARDING 'MOBILE NETWORK CONNECTION IN BORDER AREAS.'

(a) to (c) 95.15% of villages/habitations in the border areas of Rajasthan are already having mobile coverage. Details of district wise mobile coverage in villages/habitations in the border areas of Rajasthan is at Annexure-I .

Mobile  coverage  for  inhabited  uncovered  villages  is  provided  by  the  Telecom  Service Providers (TSPs) based on their techno-commercial viability. Government, through funding from Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), is implementing various schemes for expansion of telecom connectivity through installation of mobile towers in the rural, remote and border areas of the country, including Rajasthan.

Further, the Government has taken initiatives to enhance mobile connectivity in the country including border areas. These include: -

-  Amendment to Licensing conditions for removing the restrictions on installation of mobile towers near International Border Areas.
-  Notification of Telecommunications (Right of Way) Rules, 2024 for faster and easier rollout of telecom infrastructure.
-  The  Right  of  Way  (RoW)  permissions  for  the  installation  of  mobile  towers  have  been facilitated by the launch of Gati Shakti Sanchar Portal for faster RoW approvals and the time of RoW clearance has been reduced by over 85% since 2019.

Annexure referred to in reply of part (a) to (c) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. *272 to be answered on 19 th  March, 2025 raised by Hon'ble Member of Parliament regarding 'Mobile Network Connection in Border Areas'

District wise mobile coverage details of villages/habitations in border areas of Rajasthan:

| S. No.   | District Name   |   Total Villages/ Habitations in border areas |   Villages/ Habitations having mobile coverage (2G/3G/4G) |   Percentage of Villages/ Habitations covered |
|----------|-----------------|-----------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|
| 1        | Barmer          |                                           183 |                                                       172 |                                         93.98 |
| 2        | Bikaner         |                                            52 |                                                        52 |                                        100    |
| 3        | Jaisalmer       |                                           186 |                                                       134 |                                         72.04 |
| 4        | Sri Ganganagar  |                                           901 |                                                       900 |                                         99.88 |
| Total    | Total           |                                          1322 |                                                      1258 |                                         95.15 |

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