Govt to set up 220 new Wi-Fi spots, 2000 mobile towers in Chhattisgarh, Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said.
State-run telecom operator BSNL will expand its network in Chhattisgarh by installing 2,000 new mobile towers in the next two years, Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said.
“BSNL will set up new 2000 towers in next two years in Chhattisgarh which will be a historical step to strengthen mobile connectivity in the state,” Prasad said at a press conference here.
Prasad held a meeting with Chief Minister Raman Singh and BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd) officials at CM’s official residence this afternoon.
“CM Singh had urged to install 1,600 mobiles towers in the state to improve telecom connectivity. I have spoken to BSNL officials and they have agreed to install as many as 2000 towers,” he said.
Earlier, the Union minister and Singh dedicated 146 newly set-up mobile towers in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) areas of the state, particularly in Bastar.
“Maoists want to cause damage to roads, electricity supply, health and education facilities but through the communication medium, we are doing the job of connecting people. Today, 146 BSNL towers were dedicated in Maoist-hit areas of the state. 35 more towers will soon be installed in these areas,” Prasad said.
In an effort to boost ‘digital drive’, 220 new Wi-Fi spots will be set up in the state, mainly at tourist spots.
“The state presently has 27 Wi-Fi spots. In next one-and-half years, this facility will be extended to 220 more places. I have asked to cover prominent tourist places, including temples and waterfalls under the facility,” he said.
On digital governance, Prasad said the government had set the target to connect 2.5 lakh gram panchayats through Bharat Net optical fibre network.
“I had earlier said that former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was known for four-lane, six-lane and national highway and Narendra Modi government will be known for information highway,” he said.
The programme to connect villages and panchayats through optical fibre was started in 2011 and only 358 km of optical fibre was laid in three years during the previous Manmohan Singh government regime, he said.
A massive 1.22 lakh km of optical fibre has been laid in the two years of the Modi rule, which is a big achievement, he added.
“Almost 80 per cent of optical fibre laying work to connect gram panchayats has been completed in the state where the service has reached even to a remote district of Balrampur. Gram panchayat and village level entrepreneur will fulfil the dream of digital governance in the country,” the senior leader said.
“The digital identity of India which has 125 crore population is reflected by 102 crore mobile phone (users), 101 crore Aadhar, 40 crore internet (users),” Prasad said.
“Rajiv Gandhi had said a 100 rupee disbursed from Delhi becomes only Rs 15 by the time it reaches to people. But now Rs 100 sent from Delhi reaches as Rs 100 to Raipur. Rs 100 disbursed from Raipur reaches as Rs 100 to Balrampur, this is what we call Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) through technology,” he said.
DBT through technology has saved Rs 36,500 crore of the Centre, he claimed.
On other schemes of the Centre, Prasad said payment banks of the Indian Post service will commence from next year.
About 1.5 lakh postmen will be provided with moving ATMs which will prove as a great boon for the tribal areas of the state, he added.
