The ongoing campaign for panchayat elections in the state has brought the issue of lack of internet and mobile phone connectivity in several areas into sharp focus. At many places, people have threatened to boycott the polls as a mark of protest. But the fault here lies with the Centre as it has failed to take adequate measures in this regard despite repeated requests from Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. In his communications with the Centre over the matter, the Chief Minister laid special emphasis on enhancing mobile communication network in the Maoist-affected areas.
According to the information available from the Ministry of Communications, as many as 6,099 villages in Odisha lack mobile connectivity and internet services. As per the Ministry’s reply based on Telecom Service Providers (TSP) data in the Lok Sabha, Odisha has highest number of villages in the country without mobile connectivity, followed by Madhya Pradesh (2,612), Maharashtra (2,328) and Arunachal Pradesh (2,223).
Talking of the overall national scenario, involving a total of 5,97,618 inhabited villages, 25,067 lack mobile connectivity and internet. As per official data, this makes up only about 4 per cent of villages that lack mobile services. In 2002, the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) scheme was launched to provide mobile connectivity in uncovered villages and make non-discriminatory access to ICT services affordable to people in remote areas. However, about 43 per cent or 11,000 villages included in USOF remain without Internet connectivity.
On November 17 last year, the Union Cabinet had approved a scheme for about 3,933 uncovered villages in Odisha to provide high-speed mobile and internet connectivity. The villages belong to 10 aspirational districts: Kandhamal, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Gajapati, Koraput, Malkangiri, Balangir and Dhenkanal.
Overall, the scheme was approved to provide 4G mobile services in a total of 7,287 uncovered villages of 44 aspirational districts across five states – Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Maharashtra – at a cost of Rs 6,466 crore. On the day, Union Railway and Information Technology minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had stated that the project will be completed within 18 months after the signing of the agreement.
But many areas of the state still remain uncovered and protests on the issue during the panchayat campaign continue. Recently, there were reports in a section of the media that residents of five panchayats under Tileibani block in Deogarh district had not filed any nomination for Sarpanch, Samiti Member and Ward Member posts as they were unhappy with the absence of mobile phone towers in their area.
In another incident, anguished residents of a Panchayat in Kalahandi district had invited the local MLA to inaugurate a symbolic mobile tower made of bamboo as a mark of protest over the non-fulfilment of their long-pending demand for a mobile phone tower in the area. But people must realize that state government is doing its best to ensure that their demands are fulfilled. The ball now is in the Centre’s court.
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