To curb naxal menace, Cabinet approves setting up of 4,072 mobile towers
The Union Cabinet has cleared a proposal to install over 4,000 mobile towers in naxal-hit areas. The proposal to install 4,072 mobile towers in ten naxal hit states was made to improve the telecom network.
The telecom commission had approved the proposal to install the 4,072 mobile towers in the 10 states under the mobile tower phase-II scheme.
In the first phase, which was completed about two years ago, 2,329 mobile towers were installed at a cost of Rs 3,167 crore in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
The additional towers will strengthen the telecom network resulting in increased mobile penetration in Left Wing Extremism-affected and other areas facing security challenges.
The exact cost of the fresh endeavour is not immediately known but the expenses are expected to be borne by the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) of the Department of Telecommunications.
The
operational
expenses
for
running
the
towers
will
be
part
of
the
project
cost,
the
official
said.
Of
the
4,072
mobile
towers,
1,054
will
be
installed
in
Jharkhand,
1,028
in
Chhattisgarh,
483
in
Odisha,
429
in
Andhra
Pradesh,
412
in
Bihar,
207
in
West
Bengal,
179
in
Uttar
Pradesh,
136
in
Maharashtra,
118
in
Telangana
and
26
in
Madhya
Pradesh.
The objective of the USOF is to provide widespread and non-discriminatory access to quality Information and Communications Technology (ICT) services at affordable prices to people in rural and remote areas.
Besides, the fund is aimed at providing effective and powerful linkage to the hinterland thereby mainstreaming the population of rural and remote parts of the country.