Centre clears 513 new 4G towers for Chhattisgarh under Digital Bharat Nidhi

The Union government has approved the installation of 513 new 4G mobile towers in Chhattisgarh under the Digital Bharat Nidhi fund, officials said on Saturday, in a move aimed at expanding digital connectivity in remote and Naxal-affected regions of the state.

Welcoming the decision, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said it was a significant outcome of combined efforts to restore peace, security and development in areas affected by Left-wing extremism.

“The decision is a strong link in the ongoing effective efforts towards Maoist elimination,” Sai said in a statement. He added that regions where stability has been established through sustained action by security forces and administrative coordination are now witnessing focused development and expansion of digital connectivity.

The chief minister said the new 4G towers, which will be installed through BSNL, will provide accessible and reliable mobile and internet services to people living in far-flung and inaccessible areas for the first time.

“This will strengthen access to education, healthcare, employment, administrative services and emergency communication,” he said.

Sai said the expansion of digital connectivity would also mark a milestone for financial inclusion, as improved mobile networks would enable seamless access to banking services, direct benefit transfer (DBT), UPI, insurance, pension and other digital platforms.

The initiative aligns with the core objective of the ‘Digital India’ programme to ensure last-mile delivery of development, he said, adding that enhanced connectivity would create new digital opportunities for local youth and provide a boost to the regional economy.

The Centre, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is prioritising development along with security in Naxal-affected states, Sai said, adding that the Chhattisgarh government remains committed to working closely with the Centre to bring every citizen into the mainstream of development.

Sai also expressed gratitude on behalf of the people of Chhattisgarh to Prime Minister Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Minister of Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia, describing the decision as a historic step towards making the state digitally empowered, secure and inclusive.