J&K key focus for 100% 4G coverage: Centre

New Delhi, Dec 3: Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya M Scindia Wednesday informed the Parliament that Jammu and Kashmir remains a key focus area through the expansion plan of 100 percent 4G coverage under the Prime Minister’s Digital India vision.
The minister informed that the government is steadily moving toward achieving complete 4G saturation across India as part of the Prime Minister’s Digital India vision.
Minister Jyotiraditya, while responding to concerns raised over poor mobile connectivity said that telecommunication has become a basic necessity rather than a luxury that serves as the backbone of national and global connectivity.
“Telecommunication is no longer a luxury but a necessity. Through it, people of the country stay connected with the world. Keeping this in mind, the Prime Minister has resolved to achieve 100 percent 4G saturation across India”, Scindia said in his reply.
The minister further informed that under the Digital Bharat Nidhi initiative, the government has approved the installation of about 47,000 towers to strengthen the telecom network.
“In the past one year, nearly 25,000 towers have been successfully installed across the country, while 12,000 are currently under progress”, he said.
Referring to issues raised by MPs, including representatives from Jammu and Kashmir, Scindia acknowledged that certain hurdles had delayed the full rollout.
“In some places, there were pending surveys, in others, right-of-way access or state government permissions were needed. We have identified 2,415 such issues and resolved 1,990 of them through close coordination with state governments and chief ministers”, he told the House.
He further informed that the Ministry of Communications monitors the progress on a weekly basis to ensure timely completion. “Jammu and Kashmir remains a key focus area under this expansion plan. We are confident that by next year, India will achieve 100 percent 4G coverage as envisioned by the Prime Minister,” Scindia affirmed. (KNO)