(a) whether the Government proposes to make all the mobile towers of BSNL and MTNL run on solar energy;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) if not, the reasons therefor; and
(d) the number of BSNL and MTNL mobile towers which are powered by solar energy; 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) to (d) At present, there is no proposal to run all mobile towers of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) on solar energy. As part of JNNSM (Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission) and LWE (Left Wing Extremism) projects, BSNL has powered 2003 mobile towers through solar energy. No mobile tower of MTNL is being run on solar energy. BSNL and MTNL have informed that huge capital expenditure (CAPEX) and limitation of space in urban sites are the main constraints for installation of solar panel at all mobile sites.
The state/circle-wise details of mobile towers of BSNL, run on solar energy is at Annexure.