Telecom connectivity in all villages in next 12 months: Scindia
Guwahati: Union Minister Jyotiraditya M Scindia said on Saturday that 100 per cent coverage of villages in terms of telecom connectivity in the country is targeted in the next 12 months.

Scindia, the Union minister for Communications and Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), said special funds have been sanctioned by the Cabinet for the purpose and he has himself been monitoring the progress of work every week.

Addressing a press conference here, he said, “The prime minister is committed to 100 per cent saturation. We have identified around 24,000 villages in the country that still need saturation in terms of telecom connection.”

A special scheme to reach all these villages has already been rolled out along with funds sanctioned for the purpose, he said.

Areas in the northeastern states are among these villages, and strategies are being worked out to reach these places, the minister said.

Provisions of the new telecom Act enable setting up required infrastructure and mixed technologies, like V-sat and satellite, are being utilised with the “target of cent per cent saturation within 12 months”, Scindia said.