27-07-2025
Govt plans to install 400 new BSNL towers in Naxalite-affected and remote areas in Chhattisgarh
The Central government of India is planning to install 400 new BSNL towers in the Naxalite-affected and remote areas of Chhattisgarh to improve the region's digital communications, reported the news agency PTI, citing Union Minister Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, on Sunday, 27 July 2025.
'The Central government is working on a plan to install 400 new BSNL towers in the Naxal-affected and remote areas of Chhattisgarh to strengthen digital communication,' said Minister Pemmasani.
According to the agency report, the Minister said that the towers will be installed in phases after the required approvals from the security forces and the forest department are obtained.
Pemmasani, the Minister of State for Rural Development and Telecommunications, conducted a high-level review meeting in Raipur, which was attended by senior officials from various departments and from the telco Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL).
'BSNL is currently providing high-quality 4G services across the country, and with this expansion, we are realising the mission of delivering digital connectivity to the last village in the country,' Pemmasani said, according to the agency report.
Minister Pemmasani also highlighted that the government is conducting development work in the LWE-affected areas (Left-Wing Extremist) in a 'mission mode' and said that the government is coming up with a strategy to deliver services at people's doorsteps who are living in these regions.
Digitising schools to enable students to prepare for competitive exams like JEE and NEET, providing special facilities for differently-abled students under a sensitive and inclusive initiative, are among the development measures according to the agency report.
'Rapid development and transformation are now being seen in deprived, tribal, and remote areas as well,' he said, cited by the news agency.
The Minister in the meeting also expressed his satisfaction over the fast and effective implementation of flagship schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana- Gramin (PMAY-G), and the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) in Chhattisgarh.
Minister Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani also appreciated the role of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) while acknowledging initiatives like the 'Pink Auto' scheme to make women self-reliant, which could become a role model for other states.
'The SHGs are being linked with various schemes for providing them financial assistance, training, and marketing opportunities. This is helping women become self-reliant and increasing opportunities for self-employment,' he said, reported the news agency.
