Sikkim Lok Sabha MP demands Centre for new telecom model, cites state's terrains

Sikkim Lok Sabha MP Indra Hang Subba called on Union Minister of Communications, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, to address critical issues related to digital connectivity in the border state.

In a memorandum submitted on July 25 to the Union Minister in New Delhi, Subba emphasized the need for accurate representation of villages and the urgent expansion of optical fibre infrastructure in Sikkim.

He stated that the existing approach of considering ‘revenue villages’ for digital connectivity by the Ministry is inadequate for hilly States like Sikkim. He proposed that this parameter be replaced by considering Gram Panchayat wards, as the appropriate unit.

Advocating for more accurate representation of villages in connectivity reporting, the Lok Sabha MP pointed out that, as per current records, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) considers revenue villages as the basis for assessing connectivity.

There are 427 such revenue villages in Sikkim.

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“However, due to the mountainous terrain and limited line-of-sight in hilly areas, a single revenue village may contain multiple habitations with vastly different levels of connectivity. It is possible for one habitation to have network access while another, within the same revenue village, remains entirely unconnected,” said  Subba.

To address this discrepancy, he proposed that the Ministry replace revenue villages with Gram Panchayat wards as the basis for connectivity reporting. He asserted that using Gram Panchayat wards would offer a more accurate, ground-level picture of network availability across the mountainous State of Sikkim, especially in remote and border areas separated by gorges, forests, and rivers.

“In light of this, we request the Ministry to kindly consider Gram Panchayat wards - of which there are 1,149 in Sikkim - as the appropriate unit for assessing connectivity. This will allow for a more accurate and ground-level representation of network coverage across the State,” the MP said in his representation to the Union Minister.

Revenue villages are the smallest administrative units recognized for land and census purposes in India and serve as the basic reference point for planning and reporting telecom connectivity. However, each revenue village can consist of multiple habitations or hamlets, which may be widely dispersed and separated by challenging terrain such as hills, forests, rivers, or gorges, as evident in the mountainous state of Sikkim.

As per experts, this administrative model often fails to reflect ground realities, especially in hilly regions like Sikkim, where connectivity can vary dramatically even within a single revenue village. For instance, one hamlet within a revenue village may have mobile or internet access, while another nearby, cut-off by natural barrier, remains completely unconnected.

Unlike revenue villages, gram panchayat wards are more closely aligned with actual clusters of population and local governance structures, making them a more accurate and practical unit for digital infrastructure planning in hilly regions – an argument central to Subba’s proposal.

Another request submitted by the Lok Sabha MP was for the expansion of optical fibre connectivity in Sikkim under the BharatNet Programme.

The Lok Sabha MP shared that, as per data received from BSNL Gangtok, optical fibre connectivity currently covers only 14 out of 34 blocks in Sikkim, leaving 20 blocks without this essential infrastructure.

“Given the strategic location and challenging topography of Sikkim, extending fibre connectivity to the remaining blocks is critical to bridging the digital divide and enabling access to e-governance, education, healthcare, and financial services in rural and remote areas.”

In this regard, a proposal for extending fibre connectivity to the 20 uncovered blocks has already been prepared and submitted to the Department of Telecommunications, Government of India, via letter No. 768/DIT/2024 dated 03/08/2024.

“We request the Ministry to kindly consider recommending to the Department of Telecommunications the urgent inclusion of these uncovered blocks under the BharatNet programme, to ensure comprehensive fibre optic coverage across the State,” submitted Subba.

Mobile coverage of any uncovered inhabited village is provided by Telecom Service Providers based on techno-commercial viability.

In a recent reply, the DoT informed the Lok Sabha that all 68 border villages/habitations of Sikkim have been brought under mobile coverage. As of June 2025, 11 sites have been commissioned in Sikkim under the Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), providing mobile coverage to 13 villages, including those in border areas.

However, certain remote border areas of Sikkim continue to suffer from poor mobile network coverage.

“We remain hopeful that, with your support and the Ministry’s guidance, these concerns will receive due attention and lead to a more inclusive and robust digital development framework for Sikkim,” he said in his representation to the Union Minister.

A similar representation was submitted by the Lok Sabha MP to Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, Minister of State, Ministry of Communication.