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| BSNL to add 1.025 million subscribers in 2010-11 |
| BS Reporter / Kolkata/ Bhubaneswar Aug 21, 2010, 00:01 IST |
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Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) would set up 496 new mobile towers in Orissa and add 1.025 million subscribers over and above its existing subscriber base of around 2.5 million in the state, in the current financial year.
This apart, Wi-Max services of BSNL would be made operational across 80 centres across the state from Saturday.
Addressing media persons here, Sachin Pilot, Union minister of state for communications and information technology, said, “BSNL would add 1.025 million new subscribers in the state in this fiscal. It would also set up 496 new mobile towers across the state including the Maoist infested regions in 2010-11. Presently, BSNL has around 2.5 million subscribers and close to 2000 mobile towers in the Orissa circle.”
Asked on the repeated attacks on mobile towers in the Maoist infested regions, Pilot said, “It is very unfortunate that the Naxalites are targeting the mobile towers. However, the Naxalite attack will not be a deterrent for us and BSNL will set up more towers in the Naxal infested regions and at the same time, repair and renovate the damaged towers.”
Ten mobile towers of BSNL have been damaged this year by the Naxalites, he informed.
Meanwhile, the Wi-Max service of BSNL would be rolled out in 80 locations throughout the state from Saturday.
“The Wi-Max service would offer high-speed internet connectivity to the 4,800 Common Services Centres (CSCs) already operational in the state. Through this Wi-Max service, internet access can be availed up to a radius of 15 km”, Pilot stated.
The Wi-Max service would be available in various rural locations in districts like Cuttack, Bhadrak, Mayurbhanj, Boudh, Sundergarh, Puri, Khurda. Kandhamal, Bargarh, Deogarh, Sambalpur and Angul to name a few.To ensure connectivity for the very small, inaccessible and sparsely populated villages in the state, the Centre would provide 988 satellite phones in 2011-12, he added. It may be noted that 1046 satellite phones are already working in the state.
Stating that 43,271 out of 47,529 inhabited revenue villages have already been provided Village Public Telephones, the minister said that the service would be made available in the remaining 2445 villages in the next 12-18 months.The minister stated that the 3G services of BSNL has been launched in 53 locations of the state and now the emphasis is on spreading this service further as well as strengthening the customer service.To provide qualitative service to the customers, a call centre of BSNL would come up soon in Bhubaneswar to cater exclusively to the subscribers of the Orissa circle, he informed.
Talking on postal services, he said that the renovation and modernization of 89 out of 8162 post offices in the state is being taken up under the Arrow Scheme of the Department of Posts.
Pilot stated that the UPA government is committed to strengthen e-governance services across the country and in this connection, Rs 135 crore has been sanctioned to the Orissa government under the CSC programme. Moreover, Rs six crore has been sanctioned under the pilot e-district scheme for two districts in the state- Ganjam and Mayurbhanj.
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