Question : SATELLITE TELEPHONE SYSTEM IN INACCESSIBLE AREAS

(a) whether the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) proposes to install satellite telephone systems in inaccessible villages across the country where even wireless telephony is out of reach;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) the number of villages selected for this purpose, State-wise;

(d) the number of villages/areas where this satellite system is currently in operation State-wise;

(e) the time by when that said system is likely to be installed in the rest of the inaccessible villages/areas; and

(f) the estimated expenditure for this purpose?

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

(a) to (c) Yes, Sir. Office of the Administrator Universal Service Obligation (USO) Fund has entered into an agreement with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) for the provision of 14,183 Village Public Telephones (VPTs) through Digital Satellite Phone Terminals in undisputed, inaccessible and inhabited villages having population more than 100 as per Census 1991 which otherwise cannot be covered by any terrestrial technology including Wireless in Local Loop (WLL). The Telecom. Circle/State-wise details are given in the Annexure.

(d) As on 30-06-2005, 294 villages are provided with telecom facility by International Mobile Satellite (INMARSAT) Terminals as per details given in the Annexure.

(e) All these villages are to be provided with Satellite telephones progressively by November, 2007.

(f) The estimated expenditure for the provision of 14,183 Satellite telephones is around Rs. 105.72 crores.

Annexure

Telecom Circle/State-wise details of number of villages Provided with telecom facility with INMARSAT Terminals As on 30-06-2005 and no. of villages to be covered with Digital Satellite Phone Terminals

Sl.	Name of Telecom.	No. of	No. of
No.	Circle/State villages to be	villages	covered with	provided with	Digital	telecom	Satellite	facility with	Phone	INMARSAT	Terminals	Terminals as	on	30-06-2005#
1. Andaman & Nicobar -- 5
2. Andhra Pradesh 115 1
3. Assam 279 18
4. Chhattisgarh 88 7
5. Haryana -- 4
6. Himachal Pradesh 275 17
7. Jammu & Kashmir 465 98
8. Karnataka -- 24
9. Madhya Pradesh 433 --
10. Jharkhand 1694 --
11. Maharashtra 496 --
12. North East-I Meghalaya 500 5 Mizoram 20 3 Tripura 58 3
13. North East-II Arunachal Pradesh 543 21 Nagaland 16 9 Manipur 730 8
14. Orissa 4899 --
15. Rajasthan 18 1
16. Tamil Nadu -- 33
17. Uttaranchal 3544 18
18. West Bengal -- 19 Total: 14183 294