Chhattisgarh: Mobile connectivity changing people's lives in insurgency-hit Bastar region, says official

Bastar (Chhattisgarh) [India], May 20 : The insurgency-hit Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, which has been battling Naxalism for around three decades, is witnessing a positive change in terms of communication revolution as the Centre has installed over 500 mobile towers in the Naxal-hit districts, an official said on Saturday.
While massive efforts are being taken by the state government for development as well as to provide security in remote areas of the Bastar region, the Centre has set up 525 mobile towers for ensuring mobile connectivity in naxal-infested districts.
As per sources, a total of 971 mobile towers will be installed in the region under LWE Phase-II and an agreement in this regard was signed by the Centre with a private telecom company.
For the installation of 556 mobile towers in the year 2022-23 under the aspirational district scheme, the Telecom Ministry entered into an agreement with a private telecom company.
"To link native populations, particularly youths, residing in remote villages of Bastar with the outer world, we are constructing roads and providing virtual connectivity through a mobile network," Bastar Range Inspector General of Police (IG) Sundarraj P said.
"Along with the development of road networks, massive efforts are being taken to provide virtual connectivity to link native populations, particularly youths, residing in remote villages of Bastar so that they may get linked with the outer world," he added, elaborating that as a part of this effort, 4G mobile towers are being installed in the interior as well as bordering areas of the state.


Moreover, 2G towers (already installed in the region) are being upgraded and this move will significantly benefit children in studies, said the IG.
Mobile connectivity is not just providing the children as well as youths an opportunity to get linked with the outside world through social media platforms and YouTube, it is also benefiting them in their studies, pointed IG Sundarraj, elaborating that the region is witnessing a positive change.
The officer further said that with the installation of mobile towers, people from outside are also able to know what positive works are going on in the interior areas of the Bastar region. Commerce and tourism have also witnessed considerable growth.
"There are many possibilities of employment and self-employment (in terms of the home-stays concept) in the interior areas. Seeing all these possibilities, we have full faith that through mobile connectivity, the public in the area can get even more benefits," he said.

The situation in the region has improved significantly after the installation of mobile towers as compared to the previous situation, said Ishwar, a youth residing in the interior Pedawada area under Darbha block.

"Earlier, we have to run pillar to post whenever anyone fell sick in the village due to poor network," he added.