Question : TELEPHONE CONNECTIONS IN UTTAR PRADESH

(a) whether the country has made progress in the field of communications during the last three years;

(b) if so, the State-wise number of telephone and mobile phone connections per 100 persons;

(c) whether the percentage of telephone and mobile phone connections is the lowest in Uttar Pradesh as on date despite its being the largest State in terms of area and population;

(d) if so, the reasons therefor; and

(e) the time by which the Government is likely to be in a position to provide telephone and mobile phone connections to the maximum number of people in Uttar Pradesh?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (DR. SHAKEEL AHMAD)

(a) Yes, Sir. During the last three years the number of phones have increased at the rate of 28.6%.

(b) State-wise number of telephone and mobile phone connections per 100 persons as on 31.12.2004 are given in Annexure.

(c) & (d) No, Sir. The teledensity of landline telephone and mobile phones as on 31.12.2004 is 1.758% and 2.124% respectively for U.P., which is higher than Bihar, Jharkhand and J&K.

(e) BSNL has already placed Purchase Orders to increase the Mobile network in Uttar Pradesh by 12.2 lakh lines with the aim of providing Mobile phones. The network is expected to be completed during 2005-06. Allotment of 75000 lines Wireless in Local Loop (WLL) equipments have been made to Uttar Pradesh out of 10.5 lakh lines tender. The supply of equipments is likely to commence from August/September 2005 onwards. After installation of these equipments, BSNL will be in a position to provide telephone connections to much large number of people in Uttar Pradesh. Apart from BSNL, there are four private operators which are also providing telephone connections in the State.

ANNEXURE

Details of State-wise number of Telephones including Mobile Phones as on 31.12.2004

As on December 31, 2004
Sl. Name of State Mobile	Overall
No. Teledensity	Teledensity
1 Andaman & 2.058	12.423
Nicobar
2 Andhra Pradesh 4.497	9.185
3 Assam 0.830	2.706
4 Bihar 0.868	2.014
5 Chhattisgarh 0.151	1.679
6 Gujarat 6.319	12.065
7 Haryana 4.528	10.163
8 Himachal Pradesh 4.831	12.520
9 Jammu & Kashmir 1.925	4.720
10 Jharkhand 0.577	2.282
11 Karnataka 6.042	11.803
12 Kerala 7.120	17.846
13 Madhya Pradesh 2.199	4.830
14 Maharashtra- 4.469	9.498
Mumbai
15 North East 0.742	3.722
16 Orissa 1.480	3.646
17 Punjab 13.058	21.861
18 Rajasthan 2.383	5.777
19 Tamilnadu- 5.394	10.911
Chennai
20 Uttaranchal 1.454	5.715
21 Uttar Pradesh 2.124	3.882
22 West Bengal- 0.977	2.776
Kolkata
 METRO-CITIES
1 Kolkata	12.918 23.455
2 Chennai	29.281 46.994
3 Delhi	33.975 50.181
4 Mumbai	26.347 42.969