Plans to connect Naxal areas hit 'Bharat Net' roadblock

Plans to expand mobile telephony in Naxal-affected states are facing hurdles from an unexpected quarter -- another government project which aims to provide Internet connectivity in 2.5 lakh gram panchayats.
Aiming to improve telecom network in 10 Naxal-affected states, the Home Ministry wants to install 2,700 new mobile towers in these areas and a proposal was submitted to the Department of Telecommunications.
The proposed 2,700 mobile towers will be installed in addition to the 2,199 towers recently put up in some of the worst Maoist-hit regions.
However, the proposal is moving nowhere as the DoT is more keen on implementing Bharat Net project under which it plans to connect 2.5 lakh gram panchayats with hotspots and access to digital services at low tariff, official sources said.

Both the projects are funded under the Universal Services Obligation Fund (USOF) of the DoT set up in 2002 for providing telecom services in rural areas at subsided rates.
The DoT and USOF authorities seem to be more keen to implement the Bharat Net project than installation of 2,700 new towers in Naxal-hit states, sources said.

The towers will strengthen the telecom network resulting in increased mobile penetration in Left wing extremism- affected and other areas facing security challenges.
One hundred and six districts across 10 states have been identified by the government as Naxal-affected. The states are Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

The objective of the USOF is to provide widespread and non-discriminatory access to quality ICT services at affordable prices to people in rural and remote areas.
Besides, the fund is aimed at providing effective and powerful linkage to the hinterland thereby mainstreaming the population of rural and remote parts of the country.
The already installed 2,199 mobile towers were put up by the BSNL and mostly in close proximity of security force establishments.