ITANAGAR, 10 Oct: Union Minister of State (MoS) for Communications, Devusinh Chauhan said that the central government is fully committed to develop the telecommunication services in Arunachal Pradesh, considering its strategic location.
Interacting with senior officers of the state government here on Sunday, Chauhan directed the Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL) to “complete the installation of VSATs under the BBNL well within the timeline.”
Chauhan, who is on a three-day visit to the state to review the progress of the telecommunications sector, said that “connectivity is the most crucial need of the hour.”
Stating that “the issue of connectivity and challenges are homogenous to all northeastern states,” the minister, however, assured that “the specific challenges in Arunachal Pradesh regarding development of communication will be reviewed further for proper planning.”
IT & Communication (IT&C) Minister Wangki Lowang sought the MoS’ intervention to ensure time-bound completion of the projects.
He also requested Chauhan to formulate a comprehensive telecom policy for Arunachal Pradesh, “considering the strategic importance of the state.”
Lowang urged all the officers present to prepare “realistic and long-term plans with futuristic approach.” He suggested installing optical fibre cables (OFC) overhead instead of underground, and constructing a “multipurpose utility duct for laying optical fibre/water pipelines, etc.”
Lowang expressed gratitude to the Centre for “approving to connect 980 villages with 1,683 4G mobile towers, and also for approval to lay optical fibre network in 600 gram panchayats under the BharatNet project.”
Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar urged the MoS to ensure expediting the implementation of the BharatNet project in the state, and said that the state and the central governments should make concerted efforts to improve telecom connectivity along the international borders.
Highlighting the importance of connectivity in the education sector, the CS requested the BBNL to complete the installation of 44 VSATs at 44 girls’ schools of the state on priority, followed by 55 community health centres. He sought the MoS’ intervention “for approval of additional VSATs, especially for remote areas for providing digital classes for the benefit of the students as there is problem of posting teachers in those remote areas.”
Planning Commissioner Prashant Lokhande highlighted the strategic importance of connectivity in the border areas of the state “with more than 2,000 villages which still have no access to connectivity.”
IT&C Secretary Anirudh Singh made a presentation on the status of the telecommunication scenario in the state. He also requested the MoS to expedite the implementation of the proposed telecommunication projects, ie, BharatNet Phase-I (OFC) and Phase-II projects (VSAT), and 4G towers for unconnected villages of the state.
Among others, IT Council Chairman Doni Nich, IT&C Special Secretary Shasvat Saurab, IT&C Director Neelam Yapin Tana, officials from the IT & telecommunication department, the BBNL, the BSNL and the postal service attended the meeting.
