(a) whether the Government have a proposal for the expansion and modernisation of telephone exchanges in West Bengal during 2001-2002;
(b) if so, the details thereof, district-wise;
(c) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the government in this regard;
(d) whether the Government propose to set up new telephone exchanges in Uluberia sub-division of Howrah district in West Bengal;
(e) if so, the details thereof; and
(f) the time by which these exchanges are likely to be set up?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS (SHRI TAPAN SIKDAR)
(a) Yes, Sir.
(b) All telephone exchanges in West Bengal have been made electronic type. The plans for expansions of telephone exchanges in West Bengal in the year 2001-2002, district wise is given as per Annexure.
(c) The steps taken in this regard are given below.
i) Renting of buildings for new exchanges and advance action for getting electric power are being processed. ii) Procurement of switching and transmission equipments are under process. iii) Procurement of subscribers cable and OFC cable are under process. iv) Installations are in progress in different sites.
Sl. No. District SSA Proposed telephone exchanges Capacity expansions in lines
1. Asansol Asansol 56500
2. Bankura Bankura 10500
3. Murshidabad Berhampore 22000
4. Howrah Calcutta 4500
5. Hooghly Calcutta 31500 6. 24 Parganas (North) Calcutta 16000
7 24 Parganas (South) Calcutta 7000
8. Cooch Behar Cooch Behar 12500
9. Jalpaiguri Jalpaiguri 14000 10. Midnapur Kharagpur 43000 11. Nadia Krishnagar 29000 12. Malda Malda 15500 13. Purulia Purulia 11000 14. Dinajpur (North) Raigunj 11500 15. Dinajpur (South) Raigunj 7500 16. Darjeeling Siliguri 22000 17. Birbhum Suri 14200 18 Kolkata Kolkata 170000
Total 498200