opensansad/lok-sabha-qa huggingface dataset:
Lok Sabha Question No. 2009 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-11
Subject: Biotech Research Hub in Muzaffarnagar
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Shri Harendra Singh Malik

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2009

ANSWERED ON 11.02.2026

## Biotech Research Hub in Muzaffarnagar

2009: Shri Harendra Singh Malik:

## Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government proposes to set up a local Biotech Research Hub in Muzaffarnagar to enhance sugarcane yield and protect the crop from diseases and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the  Government proposes to set up 'Science and Technology Cluster' in Muzaffarnagar district under the 'Drone Shakti' Mission in order to train sugarcane farmers in cost-effective pesticide spraying and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether  any  affordable  'Indigenous  Water  Recycling  Technology'  is  being  shared  through Council  of  Scientific  and  Industrial  Research  (CSIR)  to  treat  the  wastewater  discharged  from paper mills in Muzaffarnagar and if so, the details thereof; and

(d) whether it  is  proposed to  formulate  any  scheme  to  provide  portable  soil  testing  kits to  the Panchayats  of  Muzaffarnagar  for  instantaneous  testing  of  soil  fertility  and  if  so,  the  details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY & EARTH SCIENCES (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

(a)  to  (d) The Government  through  it's  Department  of  Agriculture  &  Farmer's  Welfare (DA&FW)  promotes  judicious  use  of  fertilizer  through  Soil  Health  &  Fertility  scheme.  The scheme is implemented since 2014-15 to provide Soil Health Cards (SHCs) for all farm holdings, to  promote  balanced  and  integrated  nutrient  management  for improving  productivity  and  soil fertility. Soil samples are processed as per standard procedures and analyzed for parameters such as  pH,  Electrical  Conductivity,  Organic  Carbon,  available  Nitrogen,  Phosphorus,  Potassium, Sulphur,  and  micronutrients  (Zinc, Copper,  Iron,  Manganese  &  Boron).  A  total  of  25.79 crore Soil  Health  Cards  have  been  generated/  distributed  since  2014-15 to  till  date  across  the country.  Total 8302 Soil Testing Labs (1082 Static Soil Testing Labs, 163 Mobile Soil Testing Labs, 6376 Mini Soil Testing Labs and 681 Village Level Soil Testing Labs) have been established  across  the  country.  As  far  as  establishment  of  Village  Level  Soil  Testing  labs  in Muzaffarnagar  is  concerned,  the  Agriculture  Research  and  Soil  Survey,  Uttar  Pradesh  has reported that under Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PMRKVY), in FY 2025-26, target of 02- VLSTL (Village Level Soil Testing Labs) are sanctioned for Muzaffarnagar district.

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Lok Sabha Question No. 2005 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-11
Subject: Proton Beam Therapy
Ministry: ATOMIC ENERGY
Asked by: Shri Devesh Shakya

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-2005

ANSWERED ON 11/02/2026

## PROTON BEAM THERAPY

## 2005.     SHRI DEVESH SHAKYA

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:-

- (a) Whether the Government is aware that an advanced and state-of-art radiotherapy technique for cancer treatment namely Proton Beam Therapy is at present available only in a few medical institutions located in Chennai and Mumbai in the country whereas this facility has  not  yet  been  made  available  in  premier  tertiary  healthcare  institutions  of  national importance such as the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi;
- (b) if so, the technical, financial or institutional reasons therefor;
- (c) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  develop  this  high-cost  Proton  Beam  Therapy technology indigenously by utilizing the scientific and technical expertise of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) to make it accessible in AIIMS and other Government medical institutions; and
- (d) if so, the progress made so far in this regard and whether any timeline has been fixed for its implementation and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS AND PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

- (a) to (d)  Tata  Memorial  Centre  (TMC)  under the  administrative  control  of  Department  of Atomic Energy (DAE) has established Proton Beam Therapy facility at Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Navi Mumbai (a constituent unit of TMC) at the cost of Rs. 468.00 Crores. The facility is equipped with state-of-the-art Pencil Beam Scanning (PBS) and Intensity Modulated Proton Therapy  (IMPT)  technology,  comprising  three  360-degree  rotating  gantries  and robotic patient positioning systems. The facility has been dedicated to the Nation by the H on'ble Prime Minist er on May 11, 2023 and since then it is functional to its fullest capacity. TMC has provided treatment to 748 patients up to 31 st  December, 2025.

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Lok Sabha Question No. 2002 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-11
Subject: Internet access in Remote Rural and Hilly Blocks in Dahod
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Shri Jaswantsinh Sumanbhai Bhabhor

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2002 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11 TH  FEBRUARY, 2026

## INTERNET ACCESS IN REMOTE RURAL AND HILLY BLOCKS IN DAHOD

## †2002. SHRI JASWANTSINH SUMANBHAI BHABHOR:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) the present  status of internet access in remote rural and hilly blocks (Dhampur, Garbada) under Dahod Lok Sabha Constituency;
- (b) the progress made in broadband density and laying Optical Fibre Cable in the rural areas of Dahod during the last three years; and
- (c) whether any special scheme is proposed to improve network connectivity for the expansion of digital education and telemedicine in Dahod?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) As on 31.01.2025, all 124 villages (As per Registrar General of India data) of Dhampur  and Garbada blocks have been provided with 4G mobile internet services.
- (b) During  the  last  three  years,  360  km  of  Optical  Fibre  Cable  has  been  laid  and  20  Gram Panchayats have been connected under BharatNet Project in the rural areas of Dahod district.
- (c) Government is implementing various schemes like BharatNet project which aims to provide high-speed broadband connectivity such as Wi-Fi Hotspots, Fiber to the Home (FTTH) connections etc. to all the Gram Panchayats (GPs) and villages on demand basis.

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Lok Sabha Question No. 2001 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-11
Subject: Mobile Recharge Tariffs Increase
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Shri Mani A

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2001 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11 TH  FEBRUARY, 2026

## MOBILE RECHARGE TARIFFS INCREASE

## 2001.   SHRI MANI A:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

(a) whether  the  Government  has  taken  note  that  mobile  recharge  tariffs  have  increased significantly in recent months and are expected to rise further, placing additional financial burden on students, workers and low-income households and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether  any  assessment  has  been  made  of  the  impact  of  repeated  tariff  hikes  on  digital inclusion,  access  to  online  education,  tele-health  and  Government  digital  services  and  if  so,  the details thereof;

(c) whether  the  current  market  structure  and  limited  competition  among  telecom  service providers is contributing to higher consumer prices and if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether the regulatory and policy measures are being considered to ensure affordable and universal access to mobile and data services, especially for rural and economically weaker sections and if so, the details thereof; and

(e) whether  the  Government  proposes  any  price-monitoring  mechanism,  subsidy  support  or social tariff models to protect essential digital access for citizens and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (e) As per the existing regulatory framework, tariff including rates and related conditions is under forbearance except for national roaming, rural fixed line services and leased circuits, mobile number  portability  and  USSD.  Subject  to  compliance  with  extant  regulatory  provisions,  service providers are free to design and offer tariffs based on their understanding of the market situation. Service providers have the flexibility to decide various tariff components like the rates for different types of calls, SMS, data offers etc. with multiple combinations including recharge value and validity for different service areas of their operation.

Tariffs are offered by service providers taking into account several factors including input costs, level of competition and other commercial considerations, subject to their compliance with regulatory principles,  which  include, inter  alia, the principles of transparency,  non-predation and non-discrimination. It may be noted that adequate competition exists in the market with four telecom operators offering competitive plans in the market. It may also be noted that the Indian telecom tariffs are amongst the lowest in the world.

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Lok Sabha Question No. 1997 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-11
Subject: Investment in Green Energy
Ministry: NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY
Asked by: Com. Selvaraj V, Shri Subbarayan K

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1997

ANSWERED ON 11.02.2026

## INVESTMENT IN GREEN ENERGY

## 1997 COM. SELVARAJ V SHRI SUBBARAYAN K

Will the Minister of NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY be pleased to state:

- (a) Whether it is a fact that the Government has decided to increase the investment in the green energy producing sector with a view to achieving the goal of producing 60GW green energy by 2032; and
- (b) If so, details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY AND POWER (SHRI SHRIPAD YESSO NAIK)

- (a) & (b) The Government of India has set a target of 500 GW of non-fossil fuel-based installed power  capacity  by  2030.  As  of  December,  2025,  the  country  has  a  non-fossil  fuel  based installed power capacity of 266.78 GW.

The Government has been facilitating the investment in green energy producing sector through policy measures like Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO), Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM), Domestic Content Requirement (DCR), etc. and through financial measures  like  Production  Linked  Incentives  (PLI),  loans  through  banks  and  Non-Banking Financial Institution (NBFC) channels and creating a conducive ecosystem for investment in green energy.

.

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Lok Sabha Question No. 1995 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-11
Subject: Mandatory Levy of Service Charge by Restaurants
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shri Y S Avinash Reddy

## Government of India Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution

## Department of Consumer Affairs

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1995 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.02.2026

## MANDATORY LEVY OF SERVICE CHARGE BY RESTAURANTS

## 1995.  SHRI Y S AVINASH REDDY:

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Mandatory Levy of Service Charge by restaurants violate Consumer Law;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) whether the Government has issued any guidelines or notifications in this regard and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI B.L.VERMA)

(a) to (c) : Yes Sir. The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued guidelines (Guidelines to prevent unfair trade practices and protection of consumer interest with regard to levy of service charge in hotels  and  restaurants)  on  4 th July,  2022,  to  prevent  restrictive  trade  practice/unfair  trade  practice  and protection of consumer interest with regard to levy service charge in hotels and restaurants.

The guidelines issued by CCPA, interalia, stipulate the following:

- (i) No hotel or restaurant shall add service charge automatically or by default in the bill.
- (ii) Service charge shall not be collected from consumers by any other name.
- (iii) No hotel or restaurant shall force a consumer to pay service charge and shall clearly inform the consumer that service charge is voluntary, optional and at consumer's discretion.
- (iv) No restriction on entry or provision of services based on collection of service charge shall be imposed on consumers.
- (v) Service charge shall not be collected by adding it along with the food bill and levying GST on the total amount.

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Lok Sabha Question No. 1992 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-11
Subject: CROPS-Experiments
Ministry: SPACE
Asked by: Shri Pratap Chandra Sarangi, Dr. Vinod Kumar Bind, Shri Rajkumar Chahar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## DEPARTMENT OF SPACE

## LOK SABHA

TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2026

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1992 CROPS-EXPERIMENTS

1992.  SHRI PRATAP CHANDRA SARANGI: DR. VINOD KUMAR BIND: SHRI RAJKUMAR CHAHAR:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  CROPS  (Compact  Research  Module  for  Orbital Plant Studies) experiments has been conducted to study plant growth and biological processes under micro-gravity conditions;
- (b) if so, the scientific objectives of the said experiments and the key parameters being studied thereunder;
- (c) the details of the crops or biological samples selected for the study; and
- (d) the  details  of  the  institutions  involved  in  the  design  and implementation of the said experiments?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES & PENSIONS AND IN THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE (DR. JITENDRA SINGH):

****

- (a) Yes.  A  technology  demonstration  payload  called  as  Compact Research Module for Orbital  Plant  Studies  (CROPS)  as  part  of PSLV  Orbital  Experimental  Module  (POEM-4),  in  the  PSLV-C60 mission  was  launched  on  December  30,  2024,  to  study  plant growth and biological processes under micro-gravity conditions, wherein germination of seeds was achieved under microgravity conditions.
- (b) The main objective of the CROPS payload was to demonstrate germination  of  a  seed  and  growth  of  plant  up  to  two  leaves stage in space for 5 to 7 days. The key parameters studied are concentration  levels  of  oxygen  &  carbon  dioxide,  pressure, temperature, relative humidity, and soil moisture.
- (c) Cowpea seeds were selected for the study.
- (d) CROPS  payload  was  primarily  designed,  and  implemented  by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) of ISRO in Thiruvananthapuram.

****
Lok Sabha Question No. 1991 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-11
Subject: Delay in Disbursal of Scholarships
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri Benny Behanan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1991

ANSWERED ON 11/02/2026

## DELAY IN DISBURSAL OF SCHOLARSHIPS

## 1991.  SHRI BENNY BEHANAN:

Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  it  is  a  fact  that  Pre-Matric,  Post-Matric  and  Merit-cum-Means  scholarships  are  being delayed for months in several States;
- (b) if so, the reasons for such delays including fund constraints or technical issues in the portal;
- (c) the number of students dropped out due to non-receipt of scholarships during the last three years, State-wise; and

(d) the details of corrective steps taken or proposed to be taken by the Government to ensure timebound disbursal of scholarships?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

## (SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

- (a) to (c): Ministry of Minority Affairs implements various schemes, including PreMatric,  Post  Matric  and  Merit-cum-Means  Scholarship  schemes,  across  the  country  for  socioeconomic  and  educational  empowerment  of  the  six  notified  minority  communities.  However,  the schemes have not been approved for implementation beyond 2021-22.
- (d):  In  order  to  streamline  the  implementation  of  Scholarship  Schemes,  Ministry  took  various corrective steps such as:
- (i)  Aadhaar based bio-metric authentication system; (ii) Aadhaar Payment Bridge System (APBS) have  been  made  mandatory  for  disbursement  of  Scholarship  amount,  (iii)  One  Time  Registration (OTR) mandatory for entering into the National Scholarship Portal.

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Lok Sabha Question No. 1981 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-11
Subject: De-licensed Half Spectrum
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Shri V K Sreekandan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1981 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11 TH  FEBRUARY, 2026

## DE-LICENSED HALF SPECTRUM

## 1981.   SHRI V K SREEKANDAN:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is a fact that the Government has de-licensed half the spectrum in the 6 gigahertz band for Wi-Fi and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether it is also true that the telecom firms have been demanding that it should be auctioned for use in future mobile telephony and if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) whether it is also true that the Government has considered the requests of tech firm while disagreeing with the requests of telecom firms and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) Government has decided to delicense lower portion of the 6 GHz band (5925-6425 MHz) for use  by  Wireless  Access  Systems  including  Radio  Local  Area  Network  (Wi-Fi).  The  gazette notification No. GSR 47(E) has been published on 20 th  January 2026 in this regard.
- (b) Government has received requests from telecom firms for using the same lower 6 GHz band for licensed International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) services. However, as per the Radio Regulations  of  International  Telecommunications  Union  (ITU-RR),  this  frequency  band  is  not identified for IMT. On the other hand, ITU-RR has identified 6425-7025 MHz for IMT services in some countries.
- (c) The entire 6 GHz band (5925-7025 MHz) was sought by both telecom firms and tech firms. However,  recognizing  that  both  International  Mobile  Telecommunications  (IMT)  and  Wi-Fi  are important for the digital growth of the country, and after considering factors such as international best practices and the need for equitable access to spectrum, the Government has decided to delicense 5925-6425 MHz band for Wi-Fi and to allocate 6425-7025 MHz band for IMT use.

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Lok Sabha Question No. 1974 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-11
Subject: Kisan Rail Services from Andhra Pradesh
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Prabhakar Reddy Vemireddy

§

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1974 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.02.2026

## KISAN RAIL SERVICES FROM ANDHRA PRADESH

## 1974. SHRI PRABHAKAR REDDY VEMIREDDY:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  it  is  true  that  so  far  nearly  2,400  Kisan  Rail  services  for transporting  perishables  have  been  undertaken  since  its  launch  in August, 2020 and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether it is true that out of 2,400 services, only 5 services operated
- from Andhra Pradesh and no service has been operated after 2021-22;
- (c) if so, the reasons for such low number of services from Andhra Pradesh and also reasons for not taking up any service after 2021-22;
- (d) whether Kisan Rail services stopped and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) if not, the steps taken/being taken by the Government to start Kisan Rail
- from AP?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND

## ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a)  to  (e)  :  Since  the  launch  of  Kisan  Rail  service  on  7th  August  2020, Railways have operated 2,364 Kisan Rail services, transporting approximately 7.9 lakh tonnes of perishables and generating revenue of Rs 318.68 crores approximately.

From Andhra Pradesh, 116 services have been operated, transporting more than  34,000  tonnes  of  consignment  of  perishables  including  Bananas, Mangoes, Onions etc., towards Assam, Bihar, West Bengal, Delhi & Tripura.

Potential circuits of Kisan Rail for movement of vegetables, fruits and other perishables  are  identified  in  consultation  with  Ministry  of  Agriculture  & Farmers Welfare and Agriculture/ Animal Husbandry/ Fisheries Departments of State Governments as well as local bodies and agencies, Mandis etc., and services at applicable tariff are planned on the basis of demands placed and the operational feasibility.

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Lok Sabha Question No. 1973 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-11
Subject: Mobile Subscribers of BSNL
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Dr. M K Vishnu Prasad

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1973 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11 TH  FEBRUARY, 2026

## MOBILE SUBSCRIBERS OF BSNL

## 1973.   DR. M K VISHNU PRASAD:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the number of mobile subscribers of BSNL in the country, State wise;

- (b) the details of percentage of the growth registered in the number of subscribers during the last five years and current year;

- (c) the details of the number of telephone/mobile towers of BSNL with respect to the percentage of subscribers; and

- (d) the  time  by  which  the  4G/5G  services  are  likely  to  be  started/completed  for  the  BSNL network services, State-wise?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) & (b) The  details  of  subscribers  in  the  country  for  various  Telecom  Service  Providers including BSNL as collected and published by TRAI from time to time are available on its website (https://www.trai.gov.in/release-publication/reports/telecom-subscriptions-reports).
- (c) As  on  31.12.2025,  BSNL  has  total  9,27,56,716  number  of  Mobile  Subscribers  and  total 2,55,128 number of BTS (2G/3G/4G) installed.  There are 364 number of mobile subscribers per BTS.
- (d) In line with Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, BSNL has placed purchase order for indigenously developed one lakh 4G sites for pan India deployment. Supply of 4G equipment has started from September 2023 and as on 15.01.2026, total 97,672 4G sites have been installed and 95,511 sites are ON-Air. The equipment is 5G upgradable from technology perspective.

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