Remote areas of Chhattisgarh to get robust digital identity, Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai seeks approval from the centre for 2,305 new mobile towers

Raipur / Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai met Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya Sindhia today at the Communications Building in New Delhi and discussed in detail several important issues related to the expansion of digital and telecom connectivity in Chhattisgarh. The Chief Minister specifically urged the rapid approval of the 2,305 new mobile towers proposed under the Digital India Fund (DBN) scheme to ensure uninterrupted mobile and internet services in the state’s remote, tribal, border and difficult-to‑reach areas. He said that the state government is working with commitment to realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Digital India pledge up to the last village and the last person in Chhattisgarh. Robust digital connectivity in geographically challenging and remote areas is no longer just a means of communication but a fundamental requirement for social and economic development. Availability of mobile networks and high‑speed internet will enable citizens in these areas to easily access education, health, banking, digital payments, online services and various government welfare schemes. The Chief Minister added that expansion of the communication network has been challenging in many remote and tribal parts of the state due to geographic conditions. Installation of 2,305 new mobile towers in such areas will bring a major shift towards digital inclusion. He said that reliable mobile and internet networks will reach villages and hamlets that have so far been deprived of adequate communication facilities. Approval of 577 additional towers will further boost connectivity in difficult areas. The Chief Minister expressed gratitude to the Centre and Union Minister Jyotiraditya Sindhia for approving the 577 extra mobile towers for Naxal‑affected and hard‑to‑reach regions, calling the decision a crucial step to link areas such as Bastar with the digital mainstream. He said that strong communication networks will accelerate development wherever peace and progress are emerging, strengthening dialogue between citizens and administration, facilitating contact during emergencies and allowing people to benefit from online government services close to their villages. Regarding the issuance of NOCs to BSNL for 489 sites, the Chief Minister stated that the state government is giving highest priority to completing procedures related to the approved towers. Out of a total of 577 locations, NOCs for land clearance have already been issued to BSNL for 489 sites, and the remaining 88 sites are also progressing rapidly and will be approved soon. He added that where permissions and land processes are completed, BSNL has already begun tower installation, and the state administration is coordinating with relevant departments and district authorities to avoid any unnecessary delays. The Chief Minister emphasized that digital connectivity will become a new strength for education and health. The expansion of mobile and internet networks in remote areas will primarily benefit students, youth, women, farmers and rural families. Strong internet connectivity will increase access to online study material and digital learning opportunities for students, while tele‑medicine and digital health services will allow residents to consult medical experts and obtain health facilities more easily. He noted that robust networks will also make banking services, digital payments and direct benefit transfers more effective. Rural citizens will no longer need to travel far for various certificates, applications and other online government services. Thus, digital connectivity will bring governance closer to people. The Chief Minister said that development in Bastar and other remote regions is gaining new momentum, with digital connectivity receiving the same priority as roads, electricity, education, health and other basic amenities. Connecting villages that have long been deprived of communication facilities to mobile and internet networks will play a vital role in their socio‑economic transformation. He added that better digital connectivity will provide local youth with information about online education, skill training and new employment opportunities. Digital markets will become more accessible for rural entrepreneurs and self‑help groups, and farmers will receive timely information on weather, agricultural techniques and market conditions. Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai affirmed that Chhattisgarh is moving rapidly towards digital transformation. The state government aims to ensure that technology benefits not only cities but also every citizen in far‑reached forest and tribal areas. He expressed confidence that approval of the proposed 2,305 mobile towers under the Digital India Fund will give a huge push to the expansion of digital connectivity in the state’s remote regions.