(a) the total number of villages in rural areas of the country where telecom towers have been installed, State/UT and telecom company-wise during each of the last two years and the current year; and
(b) the number of such towers targeted for installation in rural areas in the coming financial year, State/UT-wise?
THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS &
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
(SHRI MANOJ SINHA)
(a) & (b) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT TO BE LAID ON THE TABLE OF LOK SABHA IN RESPECT OF PARTS (a) & (b) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *141 FOR 13TH FEBRUARY, 2019 ON “TELECOM TOWERS IN VILLAGES”.
(a) Details of number of villages in rural areas where telecom towers have been installed are not being maintained separately by the Department of Telecommunications. According to data collected from Telecom Service Providers (TSPs), State/UT-wise total number of villages provided with mobile services as on 31.03.2017, 31.03.2018 and 30.11.2018/ 31.12.2018 as well as number of towers is given at Annexure-I (a to e).
(b) There is plan to install 1,02,503 towers for mobile services in the rural areas during the financial year 2019-20 by TSPs. State/UT –wise details are given at Annexure-II.