The Cabinet on Wednesday has approved provisioning of mobile services in Uncovered Villages of Aspirational Districts across Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Odisha, at an estimated cost of ₹6,466 crore.
The project envisages to provide 4G-based mobile services in 7,287 villages of 44 Aspirational Districts across five States. The ₹6,466 crore cost include operational expenses for five years.
The project will be funded by Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) and will be completed within 18 months from the signing of the agreement and it is likely to be completed by November 2023, a government release said.
“The work related to provisioning of 4G mobile services in identified villages will be awarded through open competitive bidding process as per extant USOF procedures,” it said.
The proposal for provisioning of mobile services across five States will enhance digital connectivity useful for self-reliance, facilitate learning, dissemination of information and knowledge, skill upgradation and development, disaster management, e-Governance initiatives, establishment of enterprises and e-commerce facilities, it added.