In a major boost to expansion of telecommunications services in Chhattisgarh, Union Minister for Telecommunications and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad on Sunday announced that State-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam limited (BSNl) would install as many as 2,000 new mobile towers in the State during the next two years.
Notably, via video conferencing, Prasad earlier had dedicated the 146 new mobile towers erected in insurgency-infested Bastar region and infrastructure for providing internet services developed in Panchayats at Balrampur-Ramanujgunj district through National Fiber Optical Network (NFON).
“BSNl will set up 2000 new mobile towers during the next two years in Chhattisgarh which will be a historical step to strengthen mobile connectivity in the State,” the Union Minister informed in a Press conference held here after chairing a meeting with the officials at Chief Minister Raman Singh’s official residence.
“The Chief Minister had urged to install 1600 mobiles towers in the State to improve telecom connectivity. I have spoken to BSNl officials and they have agreed to install as many as 2,000 towers,” he added.
In an effort to boost ‘digital drive’, 220 new Wi-Fi hot spots would be set up in the State mainly at tourist places, Prasad said.
“Chhattisgarh presently has 27 Wi-fi hot spots. During the next one-and-half years, this facility will be extended to 220 more places. I have asked to cover prominent tourist places of the State including temples and waterfalls under the facility,” he said.
I had said earlier that the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was known for bringing four-lane, six-lane national highways and Narendra Modi Government would be known for bringing information highway, he added.
later, the Minister also participated in a programme organised to honour former ‘MISA prisoners’ (those who were sent to jail during emergency clamped in 1975 in the country) at BJP’s State headquarters Ekatma Parisar.