From C.K Nayak
New Delhi: Centre’s mega telecom project for the North East amounting Rs.5, 300 crore has raised a lot of hopes for the region but behind the scene, huge bungling and massive corruption will bring obsolete and sluggish technology to the remote landlocked region.
This was disclosed by the Rajya Sabha M.P. from Meghalaya Wansuk Syiem in a special mention in the Parliament. Raising the matter Wansuk said that certain vested interests have managed to get a GSM system for the region that will not have even basic data communication facility such as GPRS and EDGE.
Incidentally, the rest of the country has 3G already in place and looking forward to getting 4G services to be rolled out. The Telecommunication Consultants India Ltd (TCIL) entrusted with the preparation of the Detailed Project Report has specified the obsolete, 2G system project when new technologies (3G and even 4G) are already in place to ensure 24×7 broadband connectivity, she said.
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi, in September last year had given its approval for implementing a Comprehensive Telecom Development Plan for the North-Eastern Region (NER).
The proposal entails an estimated expenditure of Rs. 5,336.18 crore (inclusive of all applicable taxes except octroi and local taxes).
The mega project was supposed to upgrade telecom infrastructure in the region under the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF). Lakhs of telecom subscribers in the region had looked forward to better connectivity at par with the rest of the country, she pointed out.
Wansuk said that there are reports suggesting that the executing authorities, entrusted with the implementation of the project, have chosen an outdated technology.
This is done in the garb of internal security since the region is surrounded by many foreign countries.
“It is high time that common man cannot be denied anymore the right to enjoy telecommunication facilities at par with the rest of country.” Wansuk said and urged the Centre to revisit the entire process of choosing a most advanced and best technology available for the NE telecom upgradation, project.
The mega project envisaged providing 2G mobile coverage in identified uncovered areas and seamless mobile coverage along National Highways in the North East Region.
At present, there are 43,200 villages in this region out of which 9,190 (21 per cent) of the villages are not connected to any mobile network. Under this project, Cabinet has approved covering 8,621 villages by installing 6,673 towers.
The project will also give seamless connectivity to national highways through 321 mobile towers. The plan will be funded from the USOF in which all telecom operators contribute a part of revenue earned from telephone calls.
The fund is used for boosting telecom infrastructure in rural areas.
The USOF would fund capital and operational expenditure net of revenue for a period of 5 years.
The project is aimed to increase the reliability of district and state headquarters connectivity by providing alternative optical fibre connectivity.