To boost connectivity in remote villages that lie on the India-Nepal and India-China border, the Uttarakhand government will offer a one-time payment of Rs 40 lakh for each mobile tower that is installed in these hamlets of strategic importance by telecom service providers.
A proposal to this effect was prepared by the state information technology department and cleared by the Uttarakhand cabinet on Friday.
About 250-odd villages near the China border and the Nepal border have no mobile network. It is common for residents in areas adjoining Nepal to use Nepalese sim cards which are able to provide connectivity to make calls and use the internet. The government had earlier distributed satellite phones to gram pradhans in these regions but prohibitive costs prevented residents from using them.
A top source in the government told  that the majority of the villages that have no connectivity lie in border areas in Uttarkashi, Chamoli and Pithoragarh districts.
The source said the decision to offer financial aid was taken after consulting with telecom providers who sought a one-time financial assistance or asked the government to cover 60% of the total project cost. Telecom providers avoid installing towers in remote areas due to low population density which results in a lower revenue.
Last month, the department of telecommunications had said that various projects were being implemented to provide connectivity in remote and strategic areas. “A tender for 354 uncovered villages in the strategic, remote and border areas of the country has been finalised and is under implementation in 144 villages of the the Union territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh and remaining villages in the states of Bihar, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and other priority areas of Gujarat,” it had said.
Meanwhile, the Uttarakhand cabinet also approved a ‘Tourism Incentive Coupon’ scheme for people visiting certain areas in Uttarakhand for a period of three or more days. Using the coupon, a visitor can get a discount of up to Rs 1,000 on their hotel bill. The cabinet directed that full refunds be issued to tourists whose bookings to Corbett Tiger Reserve were cancelled due to the Covid-19 situation. A cumulative amount of Rs 1.85 crore would be refunded, according to estimates by the state government.
On the recommendation of the defence ministry, the Uttarakhand cabinet has also approved a proposal to increase the area of Kedarnath helipad. In another decision, the state will now allow the Uttarakhand Purv Sainik Kalyan Nigam Limited (UPNL) to provide jobs to all youths. The UPNL is a government agency which hires former defence personnel and their families.