Centre approves Rs 26,000 cr to install 25k mobile towers in 500 days

The government on Tuesday announced that it has approved Rs 26,000 crore to erect 25,000 mobile towers in 500 days.

A representative for the telecom ministry stated that the project will receive financial backing from the Universal Services Obligation Fund and be carried out by Bharat Broadband Network.

Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw made the announcement during the three-day "Digital India Conference of State IT Ministers," which ended on October 3.


"In his concluding remarks, Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that connectivity is vital for Digital India and its reach to every corner of the country. He announced that Rs 26,000 crore has been approved to install 25,000 new towers in the next 500 days," the statement said.

Minister of State (MoS) for Electronics and Information Technology and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rajeev Chandrasekhar, MoS Communications Devusinh Chauhan and IT ministers from 12 states and UTs, namely Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Goa, Manipur, Uttarakhand, Telangana, Mizoram, Sikkim, and Puducherry participated in the conference.

Inputs from PTI