Ensure funds to BSNL for Arunachal’s telecom connectivity: Ninong Ering to Manoj Sinha

Parliamentarian Ninong Ering has again urged the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government to fast-track telecom connectivity in Arunachal Pradesh and ensure the release of funds to state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) to avoid further delay.

In a letter to telecom minister Manoj Sinha dated December 19, a copy of which is seen by ETTelecom, lawmaker Ering has asked him to give an “immediate go-ahead” and ensure Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) to release the requisite capital to BSNL and follow Centre’s decisions in the matter.

The matter to connect the hilly regions of Arunachal Pradesh has been hanging fire since early this year despite it being one of the government’s ambitious initiatives to bring telecom connectivity to the Pema Khandu-headed Northeastern state.

The USO-funded initiative being driven by the state-owned operator BSNL involves installation of 2,817 mobile towers in the rough terrain of Arunachal Pradesh, with Gurgaon-based Vihaan Network Limited (VNL) as telco’s partner.

Echoing frustration, the Lok Sabha member said that he had written dozens of letters and met Sinha in person and also reminded PM to expedite the telecom infrastructure in Arunachal, but nothing on the ground happened so far.

Due to the absence of telecom infrastructure, some of the mobile users in the border areas of Arunachal Pradesh experience Chinese mobile signals on their handsets and also receive messages from China-based telecom networks every time they turn their phones on.

“There was no coverage before BSNL installed towers under the USOF project,” Ering said, adding that the government-controlled telco had deployed only few telecom towers in the region and nearly a thousand people have already started using voice and data services.

“BSNL has not installed any more towers. On enquiring I am told that USOF is yet to give approval for remaining towers as the latter was delaying the project on one pretext or the other,” he added.

The spat between the state-controlled service provider and telecom department’s (DoT) agency that disburses fund for rural connectivity escalated after public interest litigation (PIL) was filed by Prashant Bhushan in the Supreme Court, on behalf of a non-governmental organization (NGO) alleging wrongdoing.

In August this year, the Delhi high court has though already dismissed the case, citing policy matter.

Ering added that some people have filed a fictitious case and there was no stay on the matter.

USOF administrator Sanjay Singh earlier told ETTelecom that the department was very transparent and couldn’t do much since there was a petition in the court saying mala fide selection of firms using second-generation (2G) technology for the mega initiative.

However, BSNL argued that at the time of tendering process it was only 2G technology mandated for the project, and the petition was “misconceived” and couldn’t be maintained.