(a) the number of villages in Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand where internet services are available along with the details thereof;
(b) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to improve digital literacy in villages; and
(c) the details of the funds allocated to Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand to improve digital literacy during each of the last two years and the current year?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS, EDUCATION AND
ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI SANJAY DHOTRE)
(a) Internet is being provided in rural areas by the Government and the Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) through wireless mobile and fixed wireline services. In addition to this, Government of India is implementing BharatNet project to provide broadband connectivity to all the Gram Panchayats (GPs) (approx. 2,50,000) in the country.
The status of Internet services available in villages of Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand as on 26.02.2021, is as follows:
<pre>
S.N Parameter In Bihar In Jammu and Kashmir In Jharkhand
1. Total number of inhabited villages (as per Census 2011)
39,073
6,101
29,492
1. Number of inhabited villages (as per Census 2011) having mobile wireless coverage
38,828
5,947
28,348
2. Under BharatNet project Service Ready Gram Panchayats (including BHQs) with broadband infrastructure
8,821
988
3,597
</pre>
(b) The Government of India has approved a scheme titled “Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA)” to usher in digital literacy in rural India by covering 6 crore rural households (one person per household) in February 2017 at a total outlay of around Rs. 2,351.38 crore. Under the Scheme, to ensure equitable geographical reach, each of the 2,50,000 Gram Panchayats across the country are envisaged to register an average of 200-300 candidates.
Under the PMGDISHA Scheme, as on 17.03.2021, around 4.60 Crore candidates have been enrolled and around 3.74 Crore candidates have completed the training out of which more than 2.74 Crore candidates have been certified.
(c) As the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA) Scheme is funded as a Central Sector Scheme, funds are not sanctioned and allocated to States/UTs.