Bhubaneswar: The 6th State Broadband Committee Meeting for Odisha was convened today under the leadership of Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena at Lok Seva Bhawan. The meeting focused on discussing the Annual Implementation Plan submitted by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Government of India, under the National Broadband Mission.
The session saw the participation of key officials including Principal Secretary of Finance, Energy, and Electronics & IT Department, Odisha, Vishal Kumar Dev; Principal Secretary of Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department, Sushil Kumar Lohani; senior DoT officials; and other committee members.
Key Discussions and Decisions
- Verification of Telecom Connectivity Data:
- Chief Secretary Jena highlighted the discrepancies between reported and actual telecom connectivity. He suggested that Collectors and District Magistrates should have their field personnel verify the true status of connectivity.
- Resolution of Mobile Tower Issues:
- It was directed that the DoT and E&IT Department forward detailed issues related to mobile tower installation, such as land allocation, road access, forest clearance, and local problems, to the concerned Collectors and DMs. These issues should be resolved within a 15-day timeline, expedited by video conferences with District Collectors, SPs, and DFOs.
- Mapping Broadband Connectivity:
- The School & Mass Education Department and Health & Family Welfare Department were instructed to map all their establishments, including Aanganwadis, with broadband connectivity on the PM GatiShakti portal.
- Promotion of 5G Use Cases:
- Line departments and subordinate offices will be sensitized about the use of 5G technology through one-hour camps and demo sessions conducted by start-ups.
- Mandatory Use of CBuD App:
- An executive instruction will be issued mandating the use of the CBuD App by all asset owner agencies and excavation agencies to prevent unnecessary damage to public utilities. Awareness camps about the CBuD App will be conducted at each district headquarters, including all engineering personnel.
- Composite Billing for TSPs/ISPs/IPs:
- The Principal Secretary of the Energy Department was advised to discuss with DISCOMS to facilitate composite billing for all TSPs/ISPs/IPs, addressing the difficulties faced in clearing electricity dues.
- Street Furniture for Faster Connectivity:
- The Housing & Urban Development Department was asked to expedite the process of uploading the list of street furniture on the PM GatiShakti Portal to facilitate the easy installation of small cells for faster internet connectivity.
- Enhanced Connectivity for Rath Yatra:
- In preparation for the forthcoming Rath Yatra festival, COAI and all TSPs/ISPs were requested to enhance mobile network connectivity by deploying Cell-on-Wheels (CoW) or upgrading existing infrastructures.