**Policy Summary: Telecom Expansion in Rural and Semi-Urban Areas**
**Objective:** To enhance telecommunication connectivity in remote, rural, and semi-urban regions of India, and to promote the proliferation of 5G services nationwide.
**Key Initiatives and Projects:**
* **Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) Funded Projects:**
* Comprehensive Telecom Development Plan (CTDP) for mobile connectivity in the North Eastern Region, Andaman Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep Islands.
* Scheme for providing mobile services in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas and Aspirational Districts.
* 4G Saturation Project for providing 4G mobile services in uncovered villages.
* Amended BharatNet project to provide broadband connectivity to Gram Panchayats (GPs) and villages.
* **5G Proliferation Policy Initiatives:**
* Auction of spectrum for 5G mobile services.
* Financial reforms to rationalize Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR), Bank Guarantees (BGs), and interest rates.
* Removal of Spectrum Usage Charges for spectrum acquired in the auction of 2022 and thereafter.
* Simplification of procedure for Standing Advisory Committee on Radio Frequency Allocations (SACFA) clearance.
* Launch of GatiShakti Sanchar portal and Right of Way (RoW) Rules to streamline RoW permissions for installation of telecom infrastructure.
* Time-bound permission for the use of street furniture for the installation of small cells and telecommunication lines.
**Impact:** Increased adoption of online banking, e-commerce, online education, and online government services across all sections of society, including those in rural and semi-urban areas, due to the availability of high-speed mobile networks.
**Source:** Written reply by the Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development, Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, in Rajya Sabha.
**Date:** August 7, 2025
Key Entities Referenced
Digital Bharat Nidhi: A fund by the Government to increase telecommunication connectivity in remote and rural areas.
Comprehensive Telecom Development Plan: A plan for mobile connectivity in the North Eastern Region, Andaman Nicobar islands and Lakshadweep islands.
North Eastern Region: A region of India consisting of multiple states, targeted for mobile connectivity development.
Andaman Nicobar islands: An island territory of India, targeted for mobile connectivity development.
Lakshadweep islands: An island territory of India, targeted for mobile connectivity development.
Left Wing Extremism affected areas: Areas affected by Left Wing Extremism, targeted for mobile service provision.
BharatNet: A project to provide broadband connectivity to Gram Panchayats and villages.
5G: Fifth generation technology standard for cellular networks
Ministry of Communications
TELECOM EXPANSION IN RURAL AND SEMI-
URBAN AREAS
Posted On: 07 AUG 2025 3:19PM by PIB Delhi
To increase telecommunication connectivity in remote and rural areas, the Government has funded several
projects through Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), which inter-alia, includes following:-
i. Comprehensive Telecom Development Plan (CTDP) for mobile connectivity in the North
Eastern Region, Andaman & Nicobar islands and Lakshadweep islands.
ii. Scheme for providing mobile services in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas and
Aspirational Districts.
iii. 4G Saturation Project for providing 4G mobile services in uncovered villages.
iv. Amended BharatNet project to provide broadband connectivity to the Gram Panchayats (GPs)
and villages.
Additionally, the Government has taken several policy initiatives for proliferation of 5G services across the
country and to make available affordable services to users. These initiatives, inter alia, include the following:
i. Auction of spectrum for 5G mobile services.
ii. Financial reforms to rationalize Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR), Bank Guarantees (BGs) and
interest rates.
iii. Removal of Spectrum Usage Charges for spectrum acquired in auction of 2022 and thereafter.
iv. Simplification of procedure for SACFA (Standing Advisory Committee on Radio Frequency
Allocations) clearance.
v. Launch of GatiShakti Sanchar portal and RoW(Right of Way) Rules to streamline RoW
permissions for installation of telecom infrastructure.
vi. Time-bound permission for use of street furniture for installation of small cells and
telecommunication line.
The telecom connectivity and 5G services have proliferated across the country. With the availability of high
speed mobile network, there has been increased adoption of online banking services, e-commerce, online
education as well as online government services among the users across all sections of society including those
in rural and semi-urban areas.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development, Dr.
Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha.
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Samrat / Allen
(Release ID: 2153523)