Nearly 7000 Odisha Villages Lack Mobile, Internet Services: Minister Informs Assembly

Bhubaneswar: More than 6000 villages in Odisha are yet to get mobile and internet services, the state Assembly was informed on Thursday.

This was stated by Electronics & Information Technology Minister Tusharkanti Behera in the House while answering a question by Rairangpur MLA Naba Charan Majhi. The Minister said that a total of 6799 villages have no telecom and internet services in the state.

As of now, there is no mobile connectivity and internet services in 6799 villages in Odisha. The state government has allotted land for free to set up mobile towers for services to be provided by three major telecom operators under USOF (Universal Service Obligation Fund) of the Union Government at 3673 uncovered areas in the state., he said

A target has been set to provide mobile services in all villages of the state by the end of March, 2024, the Minister said.

The state government has implemented Odisha Mobile Towers and Telegraph Line, OFC and related Telecom Infrastructure Policy, 2017, to establish and ensure telecommunication infrastructure/network in remote rural areas, Behera added.