238 villages in Odisha’s Koraput, Rayagada have no mobile connectivity: Centre

As many as 238 villages in Odisha’s tribal-dominated Koraput and Rayagada districts continue to remain without mobile network connectivity, the Central Government informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply.

The disclosure came in response to a question raised by Odisha Congress MP Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka, who flagged severe difficulties faced by residents of the two districts in accessing mobile data services. Ulaka sought details on the block-wise status of mobile towers approved under the Universal Service Obligation Fund, now known as Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), and asked when 100 per cent 4G connectivity and 5G services would be extended to the region.

Replying on behalf of the government, Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development Dr Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar said that significant progress had been made in tower installation. In Koraput district, 386 out of 459 planned mobile towers have been made operational, while in Rayagada district, 546 out of 700 towers are currently on air.

However, despite these installations, 89 villages in Koraput and 149 villages in Rayagada still lack reliable mobile connectivity, including areas where only voice calls are available and 4G data services are non-functional.

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Reasons for Delay

The Centre attributed delays in tower execution to multiple challenges, including lack of road access, delays in land allotment, forest and wildlife clearances, and right-of-way permissions. It was also stated that villages found to have some form of connectivity during physical surveys were excluded from the DBN schemes.

The government added that penal action has been taken against implementing agencies for delays, in line with contractual terms.

Political Reaction and 5G Rollout

MP Ulaka criticised the situation, questioning whether such gaps align with the vision of Digital India. The government clarified that 5G rollout depends on telecom service providers’ techno-commercial decisions.

While mobile infrastructure expansion is underway, the continued lack of connectivity in hundreds of villages highlights persistent digital challenges in Odisha’s remote tribal regions.