Question : BSNL Telephone Exchanges in Rural Areas

(a) whether the Government has prepared any action plan to provide public Wi-Fi facility at 25,000 telephone exchanges of BSNL in rural areas;

(b) if so, the State-wise details of the said villages along with the details of villages of Rajasthan and Maharashtra in which the public Wi-Fi facility is proposed to be provided;

(c) the State-wise details of rural telephone exchanges of BSNL equipped with Wi-Fi facilities;

(d) the number of rural telephone exchanges at which public Wi-Fi facility is proposed to be provided by the Government till 2019;

(e) whether the Government has prepared any scheme to meet this target; and

(f) if so, the details thereof?

THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS &
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
(SHRI MANOJ SINHA)

(a) Yes, Madam. Wi-Fi hotspots are being set up by using the infrastructure of BSNL at its 25,000 Telephone Exchanges in rural areas at an estimated cost Rs. 943 crore, funded by USOF.

(b) to (d) Details are at Annexure-I.

(e) & (f) On the basis of list of rural Telephone Exchanges ascertained by BSNL, this scheme has been approved in DOT. The funds have been provided by USOF to BSNL for the implementation of scheme. Wi-Fi facility has been setup in 4482 exchanges.