NEW DELHI: The Digital Communications Commission (DCC) on Thursday approved infrastructure projects worth Rs 8,588 crore, including Rs 4,668 crore for rolling out 4G network infrastructure for uncovered villages in the north-east region.
This is part of a scheme to bring 11,878 uncovered villages in aspirational districts under mobile connectivity, funded from the Rs 50,000 crore Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF).
Briefing reporters, DCC chairman and telecom secretary Anshu Prakash said that a total of 3,510 mobile towers will be set up across the region to widen 4G network reach. “We have approved rolling out 4G connectivity for uncovered villages in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya,” Prakash said.
The projects approved will see 1,917 mobile towers set up in 2,215 such villages in Arunachal Pradesh and 763 villages in two Assam districts at an estimated cost of Rs 2,536 crore. Another 1,593 mobile towers will be set up in 2,691 uncovered villages in Meghalaya at a cost of Rs 2,132 crore.
“We hope that the Arunachal project will be completed 18 months after the date of award… 5 years of operation and maintenance will be part of the tender,” Prakash said, adding that the next 5 years of O&M will be done by the telecom service provider (TSP) at own cost.
Apart from these projects, the second phase of the Bharat Net project has been approved for Telangana and Tamil Nadu. In Telangana, 10,787 gram panchayats will be connected at a cost of Rs 2,065 crore, inclusive of both capex and three years of operational expenditure.