New Delhi, August 10, 2020: Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister of Electronics &IT, Communications and Law & Justice said that Government of India has been taking measures on priority to provide connectivity in the far-flung, difficult, border areas of strategic importance, so as to ensure a better quality of life to the people as well as to those who are working in these areas.
Speaking to media today after the inauguration of a submarine Optical Fiber Cable between Chennai and Andaman Nicobar at a cost of Rs.1,224 crores, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Elaborating the various projects being implemented by Department of Telecommunications Shri Prasad spoke about various projects being implemented by the Department of Telecommunications to provide connectivity in remote and difficult areas Shri Prasad informed that a tender for 354 uncovered villages in the strategic, remote and border areas of the country have been finalized and is under implementation in the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, in 144 villages of the States of Bihar, Rajasthan, Uttrakhand, Himachal Pradesh and other priority areas of Gujarat.
These villages have been strategically chosen to cover border area connectivity on the mobile. After commissioning of these villages, there will be no uncovered villages in UTs of J&K, Ladakh for mobile connectivity. Satellite-based DSPTs (Digital Satellite Phone Terminal) are also being provided at 1347 sites for Army, BRO, BSF, CRPF, ITBP, SSB etc. Out of which 183 sites are already commissioned and remaining are in process.
The Union Minister further told that Department of Telecommunications is also working on providing mobile connectivity in villages of 24 Aspirational districts of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh and remaining 44 Aspirational Districts for 7287 uncovered villages in Chhatisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh will also be covered for which government approval is under submission.