Question : Lack of Internet Facilities in NER

(a) whether lack of internet facilities in the North-Eastern States and other far-flung hilly States stands in the ways of integration of those parts of the country with the main stream and implementation of scholarship schemes to minorities;

(b) if so, the manner in which the Government is implementing scholarship schemes in these areas;

(c) whether the Government has asked the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology to provide internet and other communication facilities in these areas for better implementation of scholarship schemes; and

(d) if so, the response of that Ministry in this regard and the steps taken or being taken by the Government to ensure that students of minority communities in these areas get full benefits of these schemes as other areas of the country are getting?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS
(SHRI MUKHTAR ABBAS NAQVI)

(a) No Madam.

(b) Does not arise.

(c) Yes Madam.

(d) Ministry of Communication and Information Technology has informed that the scope of National Scholarship Portal (NSP) pertains to the development of application and on boarding the user departments in the States/ UTs. Provisioning of underlying infrastructure and connectivity for accessing the portal is required to be improved by the concerned State/ UT Governments. Efforts have also been made to provide accessibility at lower bandwidth.

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