THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (DR. SHAKEEL AHMAD)
(a) Yes, Sir.
(b) Following steps are being undertaken to strengthen,
upgrade and expand communication networks in the remote rural
and tribal areas of country: -
(i) Provision of Village Public Telephones (VPTs) in all the
remaining uncovered eligible villages, excluding villages
having less than 100 population, lying in thick forest
areas/naxalite infested areas etc.
(ii) Provision of Rural Community Phones (RCPs) with
population more than 2000 and where there are no Public Call
Offices (PCOs).
(iii) Replacement of Multi-Access Radio Relay (MARR) VPTs
by landline/Fixed Wireless Terminal phones.
(iv) Provision of Rural individual phone connections (RDELs)
in 1685 commercially unviable Short Distance Charging Areas
(SDCAs).
(v) Upgradation of C-DOT telephone exchanges to Access Node
Rural Automatic Exchange (ANRAX) and Single Base Module (SBM)
exchanges to Remote Switching Units (RSUs) in rural areas.
(vi) Relaxation of the outdoor cable norms to 5 kms as against
the earlier norm of 2.5 kms for landline exchanges.
(c) & (d) There are 49,640 villages without telecommunication
facility having more than 100 population and not lying in
naxalite infested areas/thick forest areas, as on 31.12.2005.
USOF has entered into agreement with BSNL for provision of
Village Public Telephones in these 49,640 remaining
unconnected villages by November 2007.
This includes provision of satellite connectivity for
14,183 villages lying in remote and inaccessible areas. A
state wise list of these villages is given in the Annexure.
(e) Yes, Sir.
(f) The salient features of recommendations inter-alia
include following: -
# Shared infrastructure for mobile services to receive
support from USOF
# Supporting backbone infrastructure through USO fund.
# Shift from subsidy for individual DELs, VPTs etc.
# Discount in Annual License Fee and Spectrum Charges
linked with Rural Coverage.
# Development of suitable applications.
# Reduction of rural VSAT license fees and spectrum charges
and provision of transponders at affordable rates.
# No right of way charges for networks in rural areas.
# Niche Operators to be supported from USOF and exemption
from spectrum charges.
# No spectrum fees for usage of CorDECT and similar
technologies in rural areas as well as for usage of 450 MHz.
# No prior SACFA clearance for deployment of towers upto 40
m. in rural areas.
# Funds collected as Universal Access Levy should be made
available to USOF.
The full text of recommendation is available at TRAI`s
website at www.trai.gov.in.
(g) & (h) The services of all telecom service providers will
be utilized and wide ranging consultations have been held with
Access Service Providers, Infrastructure Providers,
Association of Telecom Service Providers and Manufacturers to
work out modalities for sharing of certain elements of
infrastructure and to provide support from Universal Service
Obligation Fund for the same. Elements of infrastructure which
can be shared include land, tower, shelter etc.
ANNEXURE
STATE-WISE NUMBER OF ELIGIBLE VILLAGES TO BE PROVIDED WITH
TELEPHONE FACILITIES AS ON 31.12.2005
Sl. Name of the No. of villages to
No. Service Area be provided with VPT
1 Andhra Pradesh 837
2 Assam 6565
3 Jharkhand 1664
4 Gujarat 2179
5 Himachal Pradesh 768
6 Jammu & Kashmir 1533
7 Madhya Pradesh 7492
8 Chhattisgarh 4151
9 Maharashtra 4252
10 North East-I 2051
11 North East-II 1520
12 Orissa 4899
13 Rajasthan 8054
14 Uttaranchal 3675 Total 49640
