(a) whether the Government proposes to connect horizontal offices in districts and talukas
through Non-Exchange lines which can be extended further to the villages in future;
(b) if so, the details of the proposal;
(c) the target set by BSNL to provide telephone connections through satellites in all
villages in the country; and
(d) the progress made so far in this regard, State-wise?
MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI DAYANIDHI MARAN)
(a) to (d) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT TO BE LAID ON THE TABLE OF THE LOK SABHA IN RESPECT OF PARTS (a) TO (d) OF LOK
SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 500 FOR 9TH MAY, 2007 REGARDING CONNECTION THROUGH NON-EXCHANGE
LINES.
(a) & (b) Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), the Government telecom operator provides
leased lines for connectivity of offices in Districts & Talukas and further to the villages
on specific requests of State Governments and as per feasibility.
(c) As per the agreement between Universal Service Obligation Fund Administration and BSNL,
the Company is planning to provide 14183 Village Public Telephones (VPTs) using satellite
based technology, by November, 2007. Details are given in the Annexure.
(d) The hub equipment is being installed at Sikandrabad earth station near Bulandshahar,
Uttar Pradesh. Equipment testing is under progress. Network shall be rolled out after
allotment of transponder by Department of Space and identification of custodians of Digital
Satellite Phone Terminals (DSPTs) in the respective villages.