The Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs provided details in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha regarding digital/broadband connectivity initiatives in the Island Union Territories. The Government of India has implemented numerous measures to enhance digital/broadband connectivity in the Island Union Territories of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep, aiming to bring substantial benefits to the public.
One notable initiative includes the launch of 5G services in the islands, with the current presence of 112 5G Base Transceiver Stations (BTSs) in the Union Territory. This implementation has led to significant advantages for the Islanders, fostering increased access to online Government to Citizen (G2C) services, tele-medicine, online education, tourism development, e-commerce, and heightened participation in the digital economy. Notably, the number of digital transactions has surged from about 10 lakh to 2.2 crore.
The Kochi Lakshadweep Islands Submarine Optical Fiber Cable Project (KLI Project) has played a crucial role in advancing connectivity. With an approximate cost of Rs 1,072 Crore, this project has successfully connected the mainland (Kochi) to all the inhabited Islands of the Union Territory of Lakshadweep through a submarine cable.
