Total of 521 out of 532 new mobile towers erected by Bharat Sanchar Nigam ltd (BSNl) in left Wing Extremism (lWE) areas of Chhattisgarh have started radiating signals so far, the Central government has informed.
The insurgency infested Dantewada, Sukma and Bastar districts of Chhattisgarh had a total of 180 mobile towers of BSNl operating in the three districts as on July 22, 2017.
Besides Naxal activities, difficult geographical conditions and hilly terrain make it difficult to provide network coverage in these lWE areas, the Central Government has informed.
The proposal for a total of 1028 mobile tower locations have been approved by the Central Government for Chhattisgarh in 16 lWE infested districts, the Central government had informed in May this year.
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had approved the "Universal Service Obligation Fund [USOF]” supported scheme to provide mobile services at 4072 tower locations identified by MHA in inhabited uncovered areas affected by left Wing Extremism [lWE] of 96 districts in 10 States including Chhattisgarh for Phase-ll project. The total project cost would be Rs 7,330 Crore.
This network would be used by the security personnel deployed in lWE affected areas. Project will also provide the mobile services to help the residents in unconnected inhabited villages which would improve the economic activities in the region. It will give impetus to the e-Governance activities in the backward and lWE affected area with the availability of digital mobile connectivity.
The lWE Phase-I project for providing the mobile services using 2G technology in lWE Areas with a total sanctioned cost of Rs, 4080.78 crore is on completion.
MHA in consultation with the concerned states has identified 4072 tower locations for the communication need of the security personnel deployed in 96 districts of 10 states and provided to DoT as on October 27, 2017.
Technology proposed in the Phase-ll project has been upgraded according to the requirement of Stakeholders. Now 2G and 4G technology is being deployed in this project for providing the mobile connectivity, the government informed.