(a) whether the Government is aware that there is an acute shortage of Mobile connection in the country, particularly in Basirhat, in North 24 Pargana district of West Bengal;
(b) if so, the details of the remedial steps taken up by the Government in this regard; and
(c) the time by when the shortage of Mobile connection is likely to be met?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (DR. SHAKEEL AHMAD)
(a) Sir, there are Private Mobile Operators besides Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (BSNL) / Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd. (MTNL) providing mobile service throughout the country. No acute shortage of mobile connections has been reported from any of the Private Mobile Service Providers. However, mobile connections of BSNL are not being released presently in some areas in the country due to network capacity constraints.
(b) & (c): BSNL is augmenting its mobile network by around 14 million lines during the current financial year. In regard to Basirhat, the mobile capacity has been augmented from 4200 lines to 5200 lines by BSNL and new connections are being released there since June 2005. Further, BSNL has taken action for the augmentation of its mobile network at Basirhat by 4000 lines by December 2005.