Over 93% of villages in country have mobile broadband coverage: Chauhan

" As per data provided by Telecom Service Providers and field units of Department of Telecommunications, it is estimated that out of 5,97,618 inhabited villages (as per Census 2011) in the country, 5,58,537 villages have mobile wireless broadband coverage," stated Minister of State, Communications Debusinh Chauhan.

New Delhi: Over 93 percent of the inhabited villages in the country have mobile wireless broadband coverage, the Union Government informed the Rajya Sabha on Friday. The information was presented in the Upper House by the Minister of State (MoS), Communications Debusinh Chauhan in a written reply. The Minister stated that as per Census 2011, it is estimated that out of 5,97,618 inhabited villages in the country, 5,58,537 villages have mobile wireless broadband coverage.

"As per data provided by Telecom Service Providers and field units of Department of Telecommunications, it is estimated that out of 5,97,618 inhabited villages (as per Census 2011) in the country, 5,58,537 villages have mobile wireless broadband coverage," he stated. He further stated that the BharatNet project is envisaged in all the Gram Panchayats (GPs) and villages of the country to provide high-speed internet/broadband.

"As of 28.02.2022, a total of 1,72,361 Gram Panchayats have been made service-ready in the country with broadband infrastructure under BharatNet," said Chauhan. "Monitoring of availability of Internet facility is done on the basis of number of subscribers. Availability of Internet connectivity enables public to access all kinds of online digital services including in the field of education and healthcare," he added.