Bhubaneswar, (IANS) The Odisha government is preparing a telecom policy to improve telecom infrastructure and connectivity in the state, said an official on Wednesday.

The government has initiated steps to prepare the telecom policy to provide facilitative support to the telecom industry with the objectives of boosting up telecom infrastructure and connectivity.

The provisions of the policy will support erection of mobile towers, laying of underground and aerial optical fibre cables and installation of inbuilt solutions, said the official, adding the decision was taken at a recent high-level meeting under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi here recently.

Considering the proposed draft and existing regulations relating to telecom sector, Padhi advised to charge rational and supportive premiums/rents to telecom companies which are coming forward to lay connectivity infrastructure in the districts, more particularly in remote unconnected areas.

He also directed that more than one company should share the same tower and minimize the land use.

Available data shows that tele-density in Odisha has grown up to 69.38 per cent, which is still below the national average of 79 per cent and it was decided in the meeting to boost it up. The rural tele-density in the state is around 45 per cent.