Indian government has sanction Rs.. 5,600 crore for telecom services in Odisha this fiscal, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said 5G services will be launch in the eastern state before the Republic Day 2023 celebrations.
In an apparent reference to the ruling BJD in the state, the minister Ashwini Vaishnaw also said, “now, no one can make an allegation that the Centre is neglecting Odisha’s telecom sector”.
Ashwini Vaishnaw Said :
“The Modi government has sanction a total of Rs. 5,600 crore for telecom services in Odisha in the 2022-23 fiscal, and 5G services will be launched in the state before the Republic Day celebrations on January 26, 2023,”.
Minister of railways, communications, electronics and information technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw said a survey was recently conduct in all villages of Odisha where mobile towers are not available.
Ashwini Vaishnaw Said :
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi had directed officials to ensure high-quality 4G and 5G services in all villages,”.
Ashwini Vaishnaw said that 5G services would be available in at least four cities of Odisha by March 2023, and 80% area of the state will have access to the upgrade network by the end of 2023.
PM Modi on 1st October 2022 launch the 5G services that promise to provide ultra high-speed internet on mobile phones.
Ashwini Vaishnaw was speaking at a foundation stone laying ceremony for the redevelopment of the Bhubaneswar railway station.
Union Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi, who was also present in the programme, said that Odisha has substantially gain from the central government’s policy for auctioning of mines.
Pralhad Joshi Said :
“The state’s revenue from the mining sector has touched Rs. 50,000 crore from around Rs. 5,000 crore in 2014-15,”.
He also alleged that the states were “unable to garner adequate revenue from mining operations earlier” as a policy of ‘first come first serve‘ was follow.
Under the District Mineral Foundation (DMF), Odisha gets Rs. 15,000 crore per year, Pralhad Joshi said, adding that the fund can be utilise for the development of mine areas and the welfare of the poor and tribal people.
The state has also allocate around Rs. 10,000 crore in the budget for railway infrastructure development in 2022-23, Vaishnaw said.
Pralhad Joshi Said :
“The Modi government has raised the allocation for railways in Odisha to Rs. 10,000 crore per annum from only Rs. 800 crore during the UPA regime, critics have no reasons to make the allegation of central negligence to the state’s telecom and railway sectors”.
The minister also said that “railway projects will make progress if the state government cooperates and provides required land”.
Earlier in a cabinet meeting chair by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, had approve a proposal to provide 2,000 square feet of land each at 1,687 places to BSNL for 30 years at Rs. 1 per site per annum without any premium and incidental fees.
It will help provide 4G connectivity in 1,792 villages, Odisha Chief Secretary SC Mohapatra had said.
