BHUBANESWAR: About 3,933 uncovered villages in Odisha will get high-speed mobile and internet connectivity under the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) scheme approved by the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, November 17, 2021.
The villages belong to 10 aspirational districts - Kandhamal, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Gajapati, Koraput, Malkangiri, Balangir and Dhenkanal.
The Cabinet approved the scheme to provide 4G mobile services in 7,287 uncovered villages of 44 aspirational districts across five states of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Odisha at an estimated cost of about Rs 6,466 crore including operational expenses for five years.
The uncovered villages to be taken up under the scheme in the State include the highest 1,094 in Kandhamal, 966 in Rayagada, 520 in Koraput, 516 in Kalahandi, 467 in Gajapati, 306 in Malkangiri and 11 each in Balangir and Dhenkanal.
Stating that the project will be completed within 18 months after the signing of the agreement, Union Minister for Railways and Communications Ashwini Vaishnaw said the initiative will have a significant impact on promoting access to economic and social services in unconnected and Left Wing Extremism affected areas.
“The provisioning of mobile services will enhance digital connectivity useful for facilitating learning, dissemination of information, knowledge and skill upgradation. It will also lead to holistic development of the remote and tribal districts which have been languishing due to lack of high speed communication,” he said.
As on March 31, around 6,099 villages in Odisha did not have mobile connectivity which included 5,419 villages in the Left Wing Extremism affected districts. The tele-density and internet penetration is lower than the national average in the State. The tele-density in Odisha is pegged at 79.49 per cent (pc). The density in the rural belt is 64.06 pc, compared to 147.15 pc in urban areas.
The State has 40 and 92 internet subscribers per 100 population in rural and urban areas respectively. More than 85 pc of mobile users in the State has data connectivity. Commenting on the new scheme, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the new initiative will go a long way in boosting digital mobility championing development imperatives and improving service delivery. It will lead to e-governance initiatives, establishment of enterprises and e-commerce facilities besides providing adequate support to educational institutes for knowledge sharing, he said.