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Mobile network coverage in rural India has reached nearly 97 per cent and out of 6,44,131 villages, around 6,22,840 villages have mobile coverage and out of these, 6,14,564 villages are covered with 4G mobile connectivity, the Parliament was informed on Thursday. 

Under the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN) of Ministry of Tribal Affairs, 4,543 particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG) habitations were identified as mobile uncovered and out of these, 1,136 PVTG habitations have been covered with mobile connectivity, Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development, Dr Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, said in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha.

As on October 31, 1,018 mobile towers under various Digital Bharat Nidhi-funded mobile projects have been sanctioned to provide 4G coverage to PVTG habitations with estimated expenditure of Rs 1,014 crore.

“The government is implementing various schemes under Digital Bharat Nidhi for expansion of telecom connectivity through installation of mobile towers in rural, remote and hilly areas of the country including PVTG habitations,” said the minister.

Meanwhile, 5G services are now available in 779 districts out of 783 districts in the country (as of October 31). Further, more than 4.6 lakh 5G Base Transceiver Stations (BTSs) have been installed in the country, informed the minister.

The government has taken several initiatives for proliferation of 5G services, like assignment of sufficient spectrum for mobile services through auction and series of financial reforms resulting in rationalisation of Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) and Bank Guarantees (BGs).

Telecom service providers (TSPs) have expanded the 5G services across the country and have gone beyond the minimum rollout obligations, as prescribed in the Notice Inviting Application (NIA) for spectrum auction, informed the government.