(a) the role and share of BSNL and other Telecom Service Providers in the Digital India Programme; and
(b) the reasons for low participation/ achievement, if any, of BSNL in the said programme along with the steps taken by the Government to enhance the role/share of the BSNL in the same?
MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS, LAW & JUSTICE AND
ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)
(a) & (b) Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and other Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) facilitate the Digital India Programme by providing the network for digital communication. BSNL is providing mobile, wireline, Broadband and FTTH connections, which support this programme.
BSNL has also taken following steps:
(i) Broadband service has been provided in urban as well as rural areas in all of its Licensed Service Areas (LSAs). In urban areas BSNL is also providing High Speed Fibre to the Home (FTTH) connections.
(ii) BSNL has executed the work of laying of Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) to provide high speed broadband services at 102073 Gram Panchayats (GPs) under BharatNet Project.
(iii) BSNL has launched M-wallet services for facilitating its customers with transaction through mobile.
(iv) About 2 lakh e-SIMs provided for Internet of Things (IoT) and Machine to Machine (M2M) services.