By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Jan 17: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Saturday stated that the state government is working to ensure universal internet access, while acknowledging significant gaps between official coverage data and actual ground-level connectivity.
Although nearly 90 per cent of the state is officially covered by the 4G network, the Chief Minister pointed out that many villages remain “grey areas” where signals are weak or non-existent despite being marked as connected on paper.
Review meetings with the Government of India and state departments identified power supply issues as a primary cause for poor network performance.
Many 4G towers currently face delays in receiving electricity connections. Following discussions with the Power Minister and the Chairman of the Meghalaya State Corporation Limited (MSCL), the government has requested a list of affected locations to expedite power supply.
Beyond mobile networks, the state is expanding optical fibre infrastructure through a “last-mile connectivity” project. This initiative utilizes existing power poles and towers to lay overhead cables to districts and blocks.
Funded by both central and state resources, the project aims to achieve full saturation within the next two years.
The Chief Minister noted that reliable digital infrastructure is essential for improving public services, particularly in healthcare and education. He cited telemedicine and digital learning as key sectors that will benefit from the rollout.
Sangma added that specific targets have been set for all relevant departments to ensure the coordinated implementation of these connectivity plans across the state.
