The Union Cabinet presided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has nodded yes to providing mobile services in uncovered villages of Aspirational Districts across five states of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Odisha. The project aims to provide 4G based mobile services to 7,287 uncovered villages of 44 Aspirational Districts across the five states at an estimated Rs 6,466 crore as the cost of implementation about including operational expenses for five years.
The project would be funded by Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) and is expected to be completed within 18 months after the signing of the agreement.
In accordance with the procedures of USOF, the work for the project will be awarded through an open competitive bidding process.
The move to set up infrastructure to provide mobile services in the remote and difficult uncovered areas of Aspirational Districts across of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Odisha will enhance digital connectivity useful for self-reliance, facilitate learning, dissemination of information and knowledge, skill upgradation and development, disaster management, e-Governance initiatives, establishment of enterprises and e-commerce facilities, provision of adequate support to educational institutes for knowledge sharing and availability of job opportunity and fulfilling the vision of Digital India promoting domestic manufacturing and fulfilling the objectives of Atmanirbhar Bharat, etc.
(With inputs from PIB)
