Aizawl: Mizoram has 54 villages without mobile or internet signal, ICT minister Vanlalthlana told the assembly on Thursday, citing department of telecommunications data.Replying to a question from Mizo National Front legislator Prova Chakma, Vanlalthlana said 21 of the 54 villages are now uninhabited. He said BSNL is working to erect mobile towers under the 4G saturation project in 14 villages.
Replying to supplementary questions, Vanlalthlana said the central govt has undertaken a plan to ensure all villages across the country have mobile and internet connectivity by 2029, and BSNL is working in Mizoram to meet the deadline.He said the state govt has signed an MoU with the Bashini app for inclusion of the Mizo language in the Bashini app, developed by the central govt.CM Lalduhoma said concerted efforts will be made to ensure internet and mobile signals in uncovered villages, and that work in “villages of strategic importance like those in the border areas” will be sped up “on security reasons.”Lalduhoma said Mizoram has been taking steps to become the first digital state in the country.On Tuesday, governor Gen. Vijay Kumar Singh told the assembly that Mizoram leads the northeast in telecom indicators, with a tele-density of 112.10 (Rural 93.88, Urban 126.77), 42.28% of BTS connected via fibre, and a tower density of 1.07 per 1,000 population.The governor said a 4G saturation project is underway in 53 villages and aspirational districts to cover uncovered areas, and that the amended BharatNet programme will connect all 771 Gram Panchayats by upgrading existing sites and creating new ones in a ring topology using optical fibre.
