Lok Sabha Question No. 375 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-07-22
Subject: Telecom Services in Rural Areas
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: BOORA NARSAIAH GOUD, BALKA SUMAN, BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO, SONA RAM CHOUDHARY, NARANBHAI KACHHADIA, SANKAR PRASAD DATTA, BHEEMRAO BASWANTHRAO PATIL, SUKHBIR SINGH JAUNPURIA, SADASHIV KISAN LOKHANDE, RAGHAV LAKHANPAL, V. SATHYABAMA

**GOVERNMENT OF INDIA**

**MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY**

**DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS**

**LOK SABHA**

**UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.375**

**TO BE ANSWERED ON 22** **ND** **JULY, 2015**

**TELECOM SERVICES IN RURAL AREAS**

**375. 	DR. BOORA NARSAIAH GOUD:**

**SHRI SUMAN BALKA:**

**SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:**

**COL. SONARAM CHOUDHARY:**

**SHRI NARANBHAI KACHHADIYA:**

**SHRI SANKAR PRASAD DATTA:**

**SHRI BHEEMRAO B. PATIL:**

**SHRI SUKHBIR SINGH**

**JAUNAPURIA:**

**SHRI SADASHIV LOKHANDE:**

**SHRI RAGHAV LAKHANPAL:**

**SHRIMATI V. SATHYA BAMA:**

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

(a) 	whether telephone connectivity, landline and mobile in rural/backward/hilly areas in the country are not satisfactory;

(b)	 if so, the details thereof indicating the number of villages connected and those yet to be connected with landline and mobile telephones separately, as well as the number of mobile towers installed and activated in these areas along with funds spent for the purpose, State-wise;

(c) 	whether the Government proposes to provide telephone connectivity in all the villages across the country by the 2017;

(d) 	if so, the details thereof indicating the targets fixed and achieved so far during the current Five Year Plan, State-wise including the steps taken/being taken by the Government to achieve the target; and

(e) 	whether the funds allocated for expansion and improvement of telecom facilities in rural/backward/hilly region during the current Plan have been utilized fully and properly, if so, the details thereof, if not, the reasons therefor and the remedial action taken by the Government in this regard?

ANSWER

**THE MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY**

**(SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)**

(a) & (b)  	It is Government’s endeavour to provide satisfactory telecom services in all parts of the country including rural, backward & hilly areas. Poor quality of electricity supply, frequent cable cuts, difficulties in maintenance are some of the reasons affecting the quality of service in hilly, remote and rural areas. Non payment by custodian for use of Village Public Telephone is also a reason for curtailment of services.

The details of Village Public Telephones (VPTs) and Mobile coverage in villages are as below:

**Village Public Telephones:** As on 31.05.2015, 5,81,183 out of the 5,93,601 inhabited villages [i.e. 97.9%] of the country as per Census 2001 have been covered with Village Public Telephones (VPTs). State/Circle-wise details is given at Annexure-I.

**Mobile Connectivity:** It is estimated that there are about 55,669 villages in the country that do not have mobile coverage. State-wise list of uncovered villages is given at Annexure-II.

Service providers install mobile towers at different locations based on economic viability. In addition Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) supports establishment of towers in rural and remote areas through the levy collected from service providers.

**Shared Mobile Infrastructure Scheme:** 7317 Mobile towers have been installed with the financial support of Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) under the Shared Mobile Infrastructure Scheme in villages or cluster of villages having population of 2000 or more and not having mobile coverage. The infrastructure so created is capable of being shared by three service providers for provision of mobile services. 16,254 BTSs (Base Transceiver Stations) have been commissioned by Service Providers at these towers for provisioning of mobile services. The scheme was implemented during the period from June, 2007 to November, 2013. The scheme is closed. The State-wise details of towers installed under the scheme are given at Annexure-III.

Under the Shared Mobile Infrastructure Scheme, as on 31.05.2015, a subsidy of Rs. 403.42 cr has been disbursed to various service providers. The Circle wise disbursement of funds is given at Annexure-IV.

**(c) to (e) :** Mobile coverage to balance uncovered villages in the country  is to be provided in a phased manner over a period of five years.

Providing mobile coverage to the uncovered villages in the North Eastern Region (NER) has been taken up initially as part of Comprehensive Telecom Development Plan for NER.

**(i)	Comprehensive Telecom Development Plan for the North-Eastern Region:** Government approved a proposal on 10.09.2014 to implement a Comprehensive Telecom Development Plan for the North-Eastern Region, at an estimated expenditure of Rs. 5336.18 crore. The Project envisages provision of mobile coverage to 8621 identified uncovered villages, installation of 321 mobile tower sites along National Highways and strengthening of transmission network in the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.

**(ii)	Scheme for Mobile Communication Services in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected Areas :** Government, on 20.08.2014, approved a project to provide Mobile Services in 2199 locations in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, at an estimated expenditure of Rs. 3567.58 crore. The scheme is being executed by Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL). A sum of Rs. 596.51 crore has been released to BSNL under the scheme till 31.05.2015.

**(iii)	Comprehensive Telecom Development Plan in Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep Islands:** Telecom Commission has given ‘in principle’ approval on 07.11.2014 for Comprehensive Telecom Development Plan including provision of mobile connectivity for Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep Islands with the total estimated investment of Rs. 221.05 crores.

The fund allocated and disbursed for all activities of USOF during the current five year plan (2012-17) is as under:-

(Amount in crore of rupees)

| **Financial Year**   |   **2012-13** |   **2013-14** |   **2014-15** | **2015-16**                 |
|----------------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|-----------------------------|
| Allocated            |        625.00 |       3000.00 |       2086.98 | 2400.00                     |
| Expenditure          |        625.00 |       2163.45 |       2086.98 | 14.04  **(Till  30.06.15)** |

**Annexure-I**

**State/Circle-wise details of Village Public Telephone and Mobile coverage**

| **Name of the State/Circle**   | **Number of  inhabited revenue villages as per Census 2001**   | **No. of VPTs provided**   |
|--------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------|
| Andaman & Nicobar              | 501                                                            | 352                        |
| Andhra Pradesh/Telangana       | 26613                                                          | 25107                      |
| Assam                          | 25124                                                          | 24692                      |
| Bihar                          | 39032                                                          | 38941                      |
| Jharkhand                      | 29354                                                          | 28821                      |
| Gujarat                        | 18159                                                          | 18054                      |
| Haryana                        | 6764                                                           | 6678                       |
| Himachal Pradesh               | 17495                                                          | 16390                      |
| Jammu & Kashmir                | 6417                                                           | 6385                       |
| Karnataka                      | 27481                                                          | 27451                      |
| Kerala                         | 1372                                                           | 1321                       |
| Madhya Pradesh                 | 52117                                                          | 51986                      |
| Chhattisgarh                   | 19744                                                          | 18328                      |
| Maharashtra                    | 41442                                                          | 40544                      |
| Meghalaya                      | 5782                                                           | 5290                       |
| Mizoram                        | 707                                                            | 704                        |
| Tripura                        | 858                                                            | 858                        |
| Arunachal Pradesh              | 3863                                                           | 2810                       |
| Manipur                        | 2315                                                           | 2174                       |
| Nagaland                       | 1278                                                           | 1263                       |
| Odisha                         | 47529                                                          | 45215                      |
| Punjab                         | 12301                                                          | 12065                      |
| Rajasthan                      | 39753                                                          | 39568                      |
| Tamilnadu                      | 15492                                                          | 15492                      |
| Uttar Pradesh                  | 97942                                                          | 97852                      |
| Uttarakhand                    | 15761                                                          | 15271                      |
| West Bengal                    | 37955                                                          | 37142                      |
| Sikkim                         | 450                                                            | 429                        |
| **Total**                      | **5,93,601**                                                   | **5,81,183**               |

**Annexure-II**

**State-wise list of uncovered villages with mobile services**

| **S.No.**   | **Name of the State/UT**   | **Total number of inhabited villages**   | **Number of Uncovered Villages**   |
|-------------|----------------------------|------------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
|             | Andhra Pradesh             | 16335                                    | 3812                               |
|             | Arunachal Pradesh          | 5258                                     | 2886                               |
|             | Assam                      | 25372                                    | 2885                               |
|             | Bihar                      | 39073                                    | 2534                               |
|             | Chhattisgarh               | 19567                                    | 4041                               |
|             | Goa                        | 320                                      | 65                                 |
|             | Gujarat                    | 17843                                    | 1275                               |
|             | Haryana                    | 6642                                     | 2                                  |
|             | Himachal Pradesh           | 17882                                    | 2416                               |
|             | Jammu & Kashmir            | 6337                                     | 460                                |
|             | Jharkhand                  | 29492                                    | 5949                               |
|             | Karnataka                  | 27397                                    | 0                                  |
|             | Kerala                     | 1017                                     | 0                                  |
|             | Madhya Pradesh             | 51929                                    | 5926                               |
|             | Maharashtra                | 40959                                    | 4792                               |
|             | Manipur                    | 2515                                     | 610                                |
|             | Meghalaya                  | 6459                                     | 2389                               |
|             | Mizoram                    | 704                                      | 258                                |
|             | Nagaland                   | 1400                                     | 137                                |
|             | Odisha                     | 47675                                    | 10398                              |
|             | Punjab                     | 12168                                    | 91                                 |
|             | Rajasthan                  | 43264                                    | 770                                |
|             | Sikkim                     | 425                                      | 23                                 |
|             | Tamil Nadu                 | 15049                                    | 113                                |
|             | Telangana                  | 10347                                    | 1009                               |
|             | Tripura                    | 863                                      | 2                                  |
|             | Uttar Pradesh              | 97814                                    | 266                                |
|             | Uttarakhand                | 15745                                    | 1876                               |
|             | West Bengal                | 37469                                    | 487                                |
|             | Andaman & Nicobar          | 684                                      | 190                                |
|             | Puducherry                 | 684                                      | 0                                  |
|             | Dadra  & Nagar Haveli      | 684                                      | 5                                  |
|             | Daman & Diu                | 684                                      | 1                                  |
|             | Lakshadweep                | 684                                      | 1                                  |
|             | **TOTAL**                  | **597608**                               | **55669**                          |

**Annexure-III**

**State-wise details of towers installed under the Shared Mobile Infrastructure scheme**

| **Sl. No.**   | **Name of State**            | **Total no. of sites commissioned**   |
|---------------|------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
| 1             | Andhra Pradesh and Telangana | 327                                   |
| 2             | Arunachal Pradesh            | 65                                    |
| 3             | Assam                        | 87                                    |
| 4             | Bihar                        | 453                                   |
| 5             | Chhattisgarh                 | 553                                   |
| 6             | Gujarat                      | 59                                    |
| 7             | Haryana                      | 12                                    |
| 8             | Himachal Pradesh             | 258                                   |
| 9             | Jammu & Kashmir              | 81                                    |
| 10            | Jharkhand                    | 273                                   |
| 11            | Karnataka                    | 381                                   |
| 12            | Kerala                       | 43                                    |
| 13            | Madhya Pradesh               | 933                                   |
| 14            | Maharashtra                  | 956                                   |
| 15            | Manipur                      | 69                                    |
| 16            | Meghalaya                    | 107                                   |
| 17            | Mizoram                      | 43                                    |
| 18            | Nagaland                     | 50                                    |
| 19            | Odisha                       | 434                                   |
| 20            | Punjab                       | 14                                    |
| 21            | Rajasthan                    | 403                                   |
| 22            | Sikkim                       | 6                                     |
| 23            | Tamilnadu                    | 327                                   |
| 24            | Telangana                    | 269                                   |
| 25            | Tripura                      | 115                                   |
| 26            | Uttarakhand                  | 184                                   |
| 27            | Uttar Pradesh                | 652                                   |
| 28            | West Bengal                  | 163                                   |
| **TOTAL**     |                              | **7,317**                             |

**Annexure-IV**

**Circle wise disbursement of funds**

| **State**                                            | **Amount (in Rs. Cr.)**   |
|------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------|
| Andhra Pradesh and Telangana                         | 53.52                     |
| Assam                                                | 5.60                      |
| Bihar                                                | 14.46                     |
| Chhattisgarh                                         | 37.33                     |
| Gujarat                                              | 2.01                      |
| Haryana                                              | 0.42                      |
| Himachal Pradesh                                     | 11.10                     |
| Jammu & Kashmir                                      | 10.00                     |
| Jharkhand                                            | 11.61                     |
| Karnataka                                            | 17.56                     |
| Kerala                                               | 1.67                      |
| Maharashtra                                          | 45.74                     |
| Madhya Pradesh                                       | 25.90                     |
| North East (NE-I) (Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram)      | 40.14                     |
| North East-II (Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland) | 16.60                     |
| Odisha                                               | 17.38                     |
| Punjab                                               | 0.47                      |
| Rajasthan                                            | 21.66                     |
| Tamil Nadu                                           | 10.27                     |
| Uttar Pradesh(East)                                  | 32.60                     |
| Uttar Pradesh (West)                                 | 9.08                      |
| Uttaranchal                                          | 12.55                     |
| West Bengal                                          | 5.75                      |
| **Total**                                            | **403.42**                |

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