5G Launch Should Not Be Just Publicity Stunt, People Of Odisha Deserve Better Connectivity – Amar Patnaik

Bhubaneswar: People of Odisha, especially from the rural and remote areas, deserve better connectivity and services. The Biju Janata Dal today welcomed the launch of 5G Services in Odisha but said that the Center must focus on connectivity in the rural and remote areas of Odisha. Speaking to media, Biju Janata Dal Spokesperson Amar Patnaik has said that we welcome the launch of the 5G services but at the same time it should not be just a publicity stunt by the Center. Because, the teledensity in Odisha is just 75 percent. Odisha is among the most backward states in terms of teledensity. Even the states in the North-east India have better teledensity than Odisha. Odisha has been neglected in the telecommunications sector.

Coming heavily on the Center, Amar said “The people of Odisha are not getting even the 2G or 3G services properly, and the Center along with the launching of 5G services, should look into that. In rural areas, the teledensity is even less at only 62 percent.” How can better services will reach the rural masses when the teledensity is just 62 percent, he asked. Even today, Odisha has the highest number of villages in India I.e., 6278 villages, where there are no mobile and internet facilities. While there is a requirement of 2500 new towers to be set up in the state, only 500 have been sanctioned. Whatever mobile and internet services are available in the rural areas are very poor and childrens’ education is also hindered due to this.

In this context, the Center should think whether the people will really benefit from the launch of 5G services in the state or how it will reach them. It will not reach the people of rural Odisha. The people of Odisha can understand that it is just a publicity stunt.

Due to poor telecom density and services in Odisha, the development activities being adopted using modern technologies are being hampered such as direct benefit transfer, Banking services, Health as bout 25 percent people are devoid of mobile services and low quality of internet services. He said that, the Government of Odisha is not averse to extend help for introduction of new technology for people, but people of Odisha who are living in the rural areas should get better connectivity. Without that, the digital inequality will only increase rather than decrease. If the Union Minister had said something on how the Center is going to solve these issues it would have been better and the people of Odisha would have been happy.

Amar said, I would like to say that the priority should be on reaching the rural and tribal people and making available good connectivity for them. We welcome the launch of the 5G services at Bhubaneswar but also says that Odisha deserves better connectivity, then only we can say that the benefits of new technology are reaching the people.