Tripura: BSNL to provide 4G services in 129 villages

The BSNL will build mobile towers in 129 Tripura villages that currently lack them as part of the 4G saturation initiative, and 583-gramme panchayats and village councils will have access to the internet.

According to Puneet Agarwal, the senior secretary of IT in Tripura, the union cabinet has approved a scheme (to be sponsored by USOF) for the saturation of 4G mobile service throughout the nation. 

“Under this project, up to 177 mobile towers are planned to be installed by BSNL to cover uncovered villages of Tripura, within 500 days. BSNL has undertaken a survey of 274 uncovered villages of Tripura and has identified 129 uncovered villages for tower erection which fulfils the USOF guidelines. Balance villages are being re-surveyed through district administration to further examine their eligibility under the scheme”, said Puneet Agarwal.

The central government has approved Rs 50 crore for two projects under Part-V of the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment in FY 2022–23, the official added.

Agarwal continued, "Provisioning of one Public Wi-Fi Hotspot in each 583 GPS/ VCs of the Tripura by extending Bharat Net network from 583 GPs/ VCs and provisioning of 50 (fifty) FTTH (Fibre to the Home) connections to Government and Private establishments, institutions, offices, households, and other places in Tripura.

He declared that BSNL will be responsible for carrying out both initiatives. 

"A total of 583 GPs/VCs of Tripura have been turned over to BSNL under the BharatNet project. The BharatNet infrastructure, which was placed in the 583 Tripura GPS/VCs, is to be made active and maintained by BSNL, he told reporters.

Additionally, he stated that Mobile Common Service Centers (CSC) will be implemented in all GPs and VCs.

"Mobile CSC vehicles and their modification are under development. Infrastructural CSC components such as laptops, all-in-one colour printers, PVC card printers, photo printers, web cameras, 4G Hotspot routers, biometric morphos, and battery banks for backup power will be included in mobile CSC, according to him.