SHILLONG, July 30: Meghalaya has 1,619 villages without 4G services.
Digital inclusion and connectivity for all is an integral part of “Antyodaya” vision of the Centre, which had approved a project last year for providing 4G mobile services to 7,287 uncovered villages in 44 aspirational districts across five states.
In his Independence Day address last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given a call for saturation of government schemes.
Recently, the Union Cabinet had approved a project for saturation of 4G mobile services in the uncovered villages across the country at a total cost of Rs 26,316 crore.
The project, which will provide 4G services to 24,680 uncovered villages in remote and difficult areas, has a provision to include 20% additional villages on account of rehabilitation, new settlements, withdrawal of services by existing operators etc.
In addition, 6,279 villages having only 2G/3G connectivity were supposed to be upgraded to 4G.
The project was to be executed by BSNL using Atmanirbhar Bharat’s 4G technology stack with funds from Universal Service Obligation Fund. The project cost of Rs 26,316 crore includes capex and 5-year opex.
BSNL is already in the process of deployment of Atmanirbhar 4G technology stack, which will be deployed in this project as well.
A significant step towards the government’s vision to provide mobile connectivity in rural areas, the project will promote delivery of various e-governance services, banking services, tele-medicine, tele-education etc through mobile broadband and generate employment in rural areas.
