Mobile coverage to be provided in 2374 uncovered villages in NE including 691 in Assam under USOF

Dec. 9: The Union Cabinet has approved provision for a Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) Scheme for providing Mobile Coverage in 2374 uncovered villages in Northeast India. Confirming this, Assam Finance Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma in a tweet wrote, “My gratitude to PM Sri @narendramodi & Cabinet for the approval for provision of a Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) Scheme for providing Mobile Coverage in 2374 uncovered villages (1683 in Arunachal Pradesh & 691 in 2 districts of Assam) at an cost of Rs.2,029.”

My gratitude to PM Sri @narendramodi & Cabinet for the approval for provision of a Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) Scheme for providing Mobile Coverage in 2374 uncovered villages (1683 in Arunachal Pradesh & 691 in 2 districts of Assam) at an estimated cost of Rs.2,029.

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) December 9, 2020

Meanwhile, while addressing the India Mobile Congress on 8 December, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “We are embarking on a plan to ensure that over the next three years, every village in India will have high speed fibre optic internet connectivity. We are coming out with programmes that focus exclusively on places that makes the best out of such connectivity- aspirational districts, affected districts, Northeastern states, Lakshadweep, islands etc.”

Addressing the India Mobile Congress. https://t.co/ARitVf1A2q

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 8, 2020

The Prime Minister further said, “We are keen to ensure greater spread of fixed lines, broadband connectivity and public wifi hotspots. This is just the beginning. The future hold great potential with the rpid technology progress. We need to work together to ensure a timely roll out of 5G to leap forward into the future and empower millions of Indians.”

Under the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) Scheme, apart from the higher capital cost of providing telecom services in rural and remote areas, these areas also generate lower revenue due to lower population density, low income and lack of commercial activity. Thus, normal market forces alone would not direct the telecom sector to adequately serve backward and rural areas. Keeping in mind the inadequacy of the market mechanism to serve rural and inaccessible areas on one hand and the importance of providing vital telecom connectivity on the other, most countries of the world have put in place policies to provide Universal Access and Universal Service to ICT.