February 4, 2022
BHUBANESWAR – The centre has accorded approval to provide a 4G-enabled mobile network to around 4,000 villages, bereft of mobile and internet connectivity, in aspirational districts of Odisha.
“In Odisha, 2379 towers are planned to cover 3933 uncovered villages and the people living therein will be benefited. The project timeline is 18 months from the date of signing of the Agreement with the Implementing Agency for the project”, the union minister of communication informed while replying to a query by Kalahandi MP, Basanta Kumar Panda.
The Union Cabinet has approved a Scheme for provisioning of 4G Mobile Coverage in 7287 uncovered villages of Aspirational Districts of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand & Odisha. Of which, majority of them are in Odisha, the minister told the Lok Sabha in a written reply.
The districts- Kandhamal, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Gajapati, Koraput, Malkangiri, Balangir and Dhenkanal- come under aspirational districts category in Odisha.
A total of 3,933 uncovered villages in Odisha will get high-speed mobile and internet connectivity under the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) scheme approved by the Union Cabinet last year.
The mobile-connectivity-uncovered villages to be taken up under the scheme in the State include Kandhamal (1,094), Rayagada (966), Koraput (520), Kalahandi (516), Gajapati (467), Malkangiri (306), and 11 each in Balangir and Dhenkanal districts.