Bista urges Telecom Minister to ensure Internet in rural areas

SNS, DARJEELING, 3 JUNE 21 : Darjeeling's BJP MP Raju Bista has sent a request to Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, urging him to look into the lack of internet connectivity in border regions of Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts.

"I have requested him to instruct the concerned departments to increase the coverage and bandwidth of BSNL and other Indian mobile service providers in the region," Mr Bista said in a press release, wherein he attached a letter he sent to the minister and memorandums submitted to him by different organisations.

Speaking about the issue, he said, "During the course of visiting various parts of my constituency, I have received many complaints from people living in rural areas, particularly Milikthung, Pokhriyabong valley, JaIdhaka-Bindu and Todey-Tangta region. They have highlighted how they do not have any cellular or broadband network connection and with many of these villages lying in the international border regions it forces them to use network from another country, as our domestic network are either very feeble or do not cater to the region."

"I also personally experienced the lack of network during my visit to various places in the interiors of Jaldhaka-Bindu region. In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, when most schools and colleges across the country are conducting online classes, students in these areas are unable to attend the classes due to the lack of internet connection. Simple tasks like booking gas cylinder or electricity bill payment cannot be done due to lack of network, and people are forced to walk great distances just to access internet or mobile connection. Even the Gram Panchayats here in our region are yet to be included in the internet grid," he said.

The press release stated that the gap in digital connectivity had created a great disadvantage for the people living in rural regions and has acted as a huge impediment to the government's push for ensuring Digital India.

"As Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts lie in the critical "Chicken Neck" border region of our country, I feel that it is vital to have improved infrastructure for mobile connectivity and internet services here, so that people living in these regions are connected via internet and are better integrated with the rest of the nation," he said.