New Delhi: Union Cabinet Wednesday approved a plan to initiate mobile services in uncovered villages of aspirational districts in five states, including Odisha.
The project aims to bring 4G mobile services to 7,287 unconnected villages in 44 aspirational districts in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Maharashtra.
The project’s expected cost of implementation, including operational expenses for five years, is around Rs 6,466 crore.
The Universal Service Obligation Fund would fund the project (USOF). It will be completed within 18 months after signing of the agreement, which is expected to be November 23.
The task for providing 4G mobile services in identified uncovered villages will be awarded through an open competitive bidding process in accordance with current USOF standards.
The current proposal for provisioning of mobile services in the remote and difficult uncovered areas of aspirational districts across the five states will improve digital connectivity, be 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 and provision of adequate support to educational institutes for knowledge sharing and availability of job opportunity.
