Major boost to telecom connectivity in Ladakh
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 7: In a major boost for telecom connectivity in the Union Territory of Ladakh, Union Minister for Communications and Electronics, Information Technology and Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw today handed over list of 224 villages to Ladakh MP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal for investment of Rs one crore on an average in each village for building 4G infrastructure.
The proposal had earlier been approved by the Union Cabinet.
Namgayal met Vaishnaw in New Delhi and got the list of 224 villages where Rs one crore each on an average will be spent for building 4G infrastructure to improve telecom connectivity.
The Ladakh Member of Parliament, who also belongs to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), extended gratitude to Prime Minister. Narendra Modi and Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for fulfilling the requirements of Ladakh people on priority basis.
Realising Narendra Modi’s vision of Digital India ensuring digital inclusion and connectivity for all as an integral part of ‘antyodaya’ vision of the Government, the Union Cabinet had approved the project for saturation of 4G mobile services in uncovered villages across the country.
The villages include 107 for Kargil and 16 in Zanskar in Kargil district and 101 for Leh district in the Union Territory of Ladakh.
The total cost of project is Rs 230 crore and it will provide 4G mobile services in 224 uncovered villages in remote and difficult areas in the Union Territory of Ladakh.
In addition, 164 villages having only 2G/3G connectivity shall be upgraded to 4G.
Central Government will invest Rs. 1 crore on an average in each of these villages to build 4G infrastructure, Namgayal said.
Improved telecom connectivity has been need of the hour in Ladakh especially at a time when the Indian troops are engaged in eyeball-to-eyeball position with People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh.
Earlier, Ladakh MP Jamyang Tsering Namgayal got sanctioned 73 Jio Towers under Unionversal Service Obligation Funding (USOF) of Government of India.
As on date, Ladakh has 504 towers on air including 170 from Jio, Airtel and BSNL installed after 2019, Namgayal said.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
