600 mn connections target by 2012 exceeded: IT Min

PUDUCHERRY: Union Communications and IT Minister A Raja today said the target of 600 million connections expected to be provided by 2012 under the National Telecom Policy-1999 had not only been achieved but had been exceeded with 650 million provided the telecom facility.

Every month not less than two crore connections were given,he said launching the BSNL`s 3G mobile service here.

Tele-density particularly in rural areas, which was now ten percent, would double in the next three years,he said.

`BSNL is having wider concentration and coverage of people in remote villages` he said and appealed to the workers and employees to be prepared to face challenge posed by the private players.

Allaying fears of the employees and other stakeholders that BSNL would be privatised, he said 'nothing would be done to affect the workers and their welfare and no decision would be taken without consulting the workers.'