The Prime Minister spent about one-and-a half–hours on the Postal department
Ravi Shankar Prasad
NEW DELHI, JULY 21:
Proper
digital connectivity of all post offices in the country is top priority
for the Government, Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told the Lok
Sabha here on Monday.
Replying
to questions related to his Ministry, Prasad said the Prime Minister
was personally monitoring a host of departments and postal services were
one of them.
“The Prime Minister spent about one-and-a half–hours on the postal
department and
has given suggestions, which will be considered,” he said, in reply to a
query by Biju Janata Dal’s Tathagata Satapathy on the status of the
banking licence applied for by the postal department.Prasad
said there was need for reforms in postal reforms as also upgradation
of Grameen Dak Ghar Services, catering to the rural population.
Mobile networks
Prasad said the Government’s priority was also to improve BSNL services.
Responding to a question raised by
Congress MP Ashok Chavan on poor mobile network in Naxal-affected
regions in Maharashtra, Prasad said mobile networks, under the Universal
Service Obligation Fund (USOF) scheme in such areas are likely to be
set up in 15 months.
A proposal to install mobile towers
at 1,836 locations in nine States affected by Left Wing Extremism with
funding support from USOF has already been approved, he added.
The Minister said Bharat Sanchar
Nigam Ltd (BSNL) had installed mobile towers at 363 locations for which
financial support to meet operational expenses would be provided through
USOF.
On a question on lack of diesel
supplies to BSNL mobile towers leading to their non-functionality and
affecting security, he admitted there were concerns on diesel supply and
“there is scope for improvement“.
The idea of using solar power for
telecom towers was also being looked into, especially in the hilly
regions of North East, Prasad said.
(This article was published on July 21, 2014)