MANISH GUPTA
Ranchi, Aug 3: State-owned telecom service provider Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has geared up to provide 4G mobile services to the remaining (around 1,350) uncovered villages of Jharkhand by the end of this current financial year.
“There are around 1,350 villages in Jharkhand that are yet to be connected with the mobile services. We will cover all these villages so that people can avail the digital services,” BSNL General Manager (Business Area) Umesh Prasad Sah told lagatar24.com.
The decision comes after the Union Cabinet last Wednesday approved an expansion project of 4G services in all uncovered villages. There are currently 24,680 uncovered villages in the country and the Centre has provisioned Rs 26,316 crore for the project.
The project, funded through Universal Service Obligation Fund, has been awarded to BSNL. The telecom operator will use Atmanirbhar Bharat’s 4G technology stack to bring these villages on the high-speed mobile network as part of the ‘Antyodaya’ vision.
“The Cabinet decision was taken last week. The moment we receive the detailed instructions we will be able to procure the equipment from the headquarters, get the sites ready and do the installations within the next six months,” Sah said.
Sah, who was earlier Director in Department of Information Technology, Government of Jharkhand, said that the 4G connectivity would enable villagers residing in remote and difficult areas to access various digital services in business, health and other areas.
“Of the 1,350-odd villages about 400 villages do not have much population and only 950 have a sizable population. We will have to see how many towers will need to be erected to cover all these villages,” he said, adding that electricity will not be a problem as BSNL will be constructing solar-based towers. BSNL has already provided solar based facilities in 800 villages so far.
