The Chhattisgarh Electronics and Information Technology Department will be erecting a series of new mobile towers atop Government buildings across the State to further enhance connectivity of regions under CG-SKY scheme, officials informed.

The Department in its detailed guidelines issued for CG-SKY project implementation had already asked the concerned Government departments to allow setting up of mobile towers atop Government buildings, they informed.

Moreover the Revenue Department will provide Government land free of cost to the State Government for setting up mobile towers.

The mobile phones are also planned to be distributed through fair price shops and panchayat bhavan of respective panchayats besides other designated centres.

Chhattisgarh Infotech Promotion Society (CHiPS) would be the implementing agency for the CG-SKY scheme and will work in close coordination with Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Department as well as the respective District Collectors for mobile phone distribution.

Growth in the mobile services plays an important role in reducing the “digital divide”. Mobile services play a key role in helping member of society to be connected and gain access to information and services that improve their standard of living, officials informed.

The availability of mobile services also allow “technology transfer” by improving the level of knowledge and understanding of digital communications.

The mobile phone proliferation will bring informal jobs to youth in mobile phone repair. As part of Skill India Campaign, the Government can offer skill courses in this area. Assuming one mobile repair person for every 1,000 phones, this would mean around 4500 informal mobile repair jobs in Chhattisgarh alone (there are 45 lakh rural households in Chhattisgarh).

The expansion of the network will help increase the reach of Common Service Centres (CSCs). Also, existing and new CSCs will become commercially viable through sales of mobile products and services if all rural households have a phone, officials informed.

Mobile services dramatically improve access to emergency services, which could otherwise only be available to the wealthy. It also allows families to stay in touch with each other in the event of natural disasters, communicate with relief providers and obtain information that will allow them to obtain more rapid relief.

Entrepreneurship opportunities in the form of shops will emerge in the mobile phone ecosystem for sale of new and used phones, phone covers, SIMs, data, etc. Assuming one in every five villages, this will mean around 4000 shops creating 8000-10,000 jobs for the local youth.

Mobile phones help potential customers to seek out service providers and thereby increase the size of the market. Micro enterprises like tailoring, TV repairing, etc. can flourish with easier access to the market.