Lok Sabha Question No. 2174 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-02
Subject: Mobile Towers
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Upendra Singh Rawat

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2174 TO BE ANSWERED ON 2 ND  AUGUST, 2023

## MOBILE TOWERS

## 2174.   SHRI UPENDRA SINGH RAWAT:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

(a) whether mobile towers are still not available in the rural areas of the country particularly in Uttar Pradesh;

(b) if so, the details thereof along with the time by which the reason related to communication revolution in the rural areas is likely to be fulfilled; and

(c) whether the Government proposes to start 5G services in Uttar Pradesh and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a) & (b) As  per  data  provided  by  Telecom  Service  Providers  (TSPs),  Department  of Telecommunications field units and State Governments, as of March '2022, out of 6,44,131 villages (villages are as per data of Registrar General of India as of November 2019), around 6,05,230 number of villages are covered with mobile connectivity. In Uttar Pradesh, out of 1,05,531 (as per RGI data of November-2019) villages, 1,05,257 villages are connected with mobile connectivity.

Government and Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) provide telecommunication connectivity across  the  country  including  the  state  of  Uttar  Pradesh,  in  a  phased  manner.  Government  is implementing various schemes under Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) to enhance telecom connectivity  in  the  rural  areas  of  the  country  including  Uttar  Pradesh.    Details  of  major  USOF schemes with timelines are attached at Annexure-I .

(c) Telecom Service providers have already started the 5G services in the country and as on 0707-2023,  5G  networks  have  been  rolled  out  in  717  districts  across  the  country,  including  in  75 districts of Uttar Pradesh.

Annexure referred to in reply of part (b)  of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2174 to be answered on 2 nd  August, 2023 raised by Hon'ble Member of Parliament regarding 'Mobile Towers'

Details of schemes/projects to improve the communication network/system in rural and remote areas across the country:

- (a) USOF 4G Saturation Scheme to cover 24,680 uncovered villages with 4G and 6,279 villages having 2G/3G connectivity are to be upgraded to 4G.  The estimated project cost is Rs. 26,316 Cr. Target date of completion is December 2023.
- (b) Provision of 4G  Mobile Services in North Eastern Region of the country under Comprehensive Telecom Development Program for NER. The estimated cost for schemes is Rs.  3,637  Cr.  There  are  2  schemes  under  CTDP-  1.  Arunachal  Pradesh  and  2  District  of Assam with date of completion as 29.10.2023 and 2. Meghalaya project  - Target date of completion- 18.05.2024
- (c) Provision of 4G mobile connectivity in 354 uncovered villages of J&K, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Border area & other priority areas. The estimated project cost is Rs. 337 Cr. Target date of completion is Sep-23
- (d) Provision of 4G mobile connectivity in 7,287 Aspirational District villages (Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Odisha). The estimated cost for projects is Rs. 6,466 Cr. Target date of completion is November 2023
- (e) Under  LWE  Phase-I  scheme,  2,343  mobile  towers  have  been  installed  in  LWE  areas. Provision for upgradation of LWE Phase-I from 2G to 4G has also been made. The estimated project cost is Rs. 3,567 Cr.
- (f) Under LWE Phase-II scheme, 2,542 mobile towers at  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  (MHA) identified locations are approved across the LWE States for provision of 4G mobile services. The estimated project cost is Rs. 2,211 Cr. Target date of completion is Sep-23
- (g) Scheme  for  providing  4G  mobile  connectivity  in  502  uncovered  villages  of  Aspirational Districts in four States, namely, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The estimated project cost is Rs. 686 Cr. Target date of completion is Sep-23
- (h) Provision  of  4G  Mobile  Coverage  in  85  uncovered  Villages  and  seamless  4G  Mobile coverage of NH223 in Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The estimated project cost is Rs. 130 Cr. Target date of completion is 14.11.2023.

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