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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS
DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 609
ANSWERED ON 22ND JULY, 2026
4G SATURATION NETWORK
609. DR. KALANIDHI VEERASWAMY:
Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:
(a) the present status of achievement of 100% 4G saturation network across the country under
the Digital Bharat Nidhi initiative and number of villages, habitations covered and remaining
uncovered areas;
(b) the total funds allocated, released and utilised under the said initiative for 4G saturation along
with details of implementing agencies and telecom service providers involved;
(c) whether the Government has achieved full 4G connectivity in all remote, tribal and border
regions as targeted and if so, the evidence thereof;
(d) the details of performance monitoring mechanism and quality of service benchmarks adopted
to ensure reliable connectivity;
(e) the measures taken to upgrade existing 4G sites to 5G-ready infrastructure and address digital
divide issues; and
(f) the impact of 100% 4G saturation on digital services, e-governance, education and financial
inclusion and steps being taken for maintenance and sustainability of network coverage?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(DR. PEMMASANI CHANDRA SEKHAR)
(a) As on 30.06.2026, 45,832 villages/ locations have been planned after survey under Digital
Bharat Nidhi (DBN) funded various mobile projects, out of which 33,493 villages/ locations have
been covered with 4G mobile services.
(b) Details of fund disbursed in the mobile projects is available on DBN website
(https://usof.gov.in/en/home).
(c) As on 31.05.2026, 6,32,875 villages have been covered with 4G mobile services, out of
6,44,131 villages in the country as per Registrar General of India list of villages as on November,
2019.
1(d) Implementing agencies of DBN projects have to comply with the service quality norms and
guidelines prescribed by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, as applicable to all mobile
towers, as well as the defined service level agreement (SLA). There are provisions in the agreements
for penalties in case the SLAs are not met.
(e) & (f) 5G services are rolled out by telecom service providers as per techno-commercial
considerations. For maintenance and sustainability of network coverage, operation expenditure
(OPEX) in the form of viability gap funding is provided to implementing agencies for 5 years from
the date of commissioning. Disbursal of OPEX is subject to deduction of penalties for not meeting
the defined SLA.
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