Lok Sabha Question No. 3883 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-18
Subject: Strengthening of Telecommunication Network
Ministry: COMMUNICATION
Asked by: Adv Gowaal Kagada Padavi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3883 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18 TH  DECEMBER, 2024

## STRENGTHENING OF TELECOMMUNICATION NETWORK

## †3883. Adv Gowaal Kagada Padavi:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has formulated any special schemes to strengthen the telecommunication network in the country, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  the Government  plans  to  improve  internet  connectivity  across  the  country particularly in rural and remote areas of the country, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the details of the initiatives taken by the Government for expansion of 5G services; and
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  any  plan  to  increase  the  quality  and  coverage  of  television broadcasting services in India, if so, the details thereof ?

## ANSWER

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

(a) & (b) To strengthen the telecommunications network and improve internet  connectivity across the country particularly in rural and remote areas of the country, Government is implementing various schemes / projects under Digital Bharat Nidhi (erstwhile Universal Service Obligation Fund) for expansion of telecom connectivity through installation of mobile towers in rural, remote and hilly areas of the country. The 4G Saturation project is for provisioning of 4G mobile connectivity in 24,680 uncovered villages  in  the country.  The project has a provision to include 20% additional villages on account of rehabilitation, new-settlements, withdrawal of services by existing operators etc.  Further,  the Union Cabinet has  approved the Amended Bharat  Net Program with funding of ₹ 1,39,579 crore for extending the scope of Bharat Net to provide broadband connectivity to all 2.64 lakh Gram Panchayats and approximately 3.8 lakh villages on demand basis across 28 States and 8 UTs.

(c) Government has taken various initiatives for the expansion of 5G services in the country such as  assignment  of  sufficient  spectrum  for  mobile  services  through  auction,  provisionally  allot  2 carriers of 250 MHz each in E-band to the Telecom Service Providers, series of financial reforms resulting  in  rationalization  of  Adjusted  Gross  Revenue  (AGR)  and  Bank  Guarantees  (BGs), simplification  of  Procedure  for  SACFA  (Standing  Advisory  Committee  on  Radio  Frequency Allocations) clearance, launch of Gati Shakti Sanchar Portal for centralized Right of  Way (RoW) approvals. This has resulted into availability of 5G services in 779 districts out of 783 districts in the country and till  31st Oct 2024, more than 4.6 lakh 5G Base Transceiver Stations (BTSs) have been installed in the country.

(d) Government has approved a Central Sector Scheme, Broadcasting Infrastructure & Network Development  (BIND)  for  the  period  2021-26  at  a  total  cost  of  ₹  2539.61  crore  under  which modernization and upgradation of Doordarshan network across the country is undertaken. Presently, Doordarshan (DD) Free Dish, which is a free-to-air Direct to Home (DTH) service, has full coverage across the country and in  Andaman & Nicobar (A&N) Islands, a special 10 channel C-Band Satellite DTH service is in operation. Further, some distribution platforms viz. Direct to Home (DTH) and Headend in the Sky (HITS) employ satellites and airwaves for distributing the TV channels and thus can easily provide services in remote and hilly locations ensuring pan-India coverage.

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