Sangma raises red flag over mobile connectivity in border areas

GUWAHATI: Information technology minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Friday assured Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma that he will look into his claim that the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel were forced to use Bangladeshi sim cards in the north-east because of connectivity problem.

Sangma, speaking at an event in Guwahati to release the digital north-east vision for 2022, said that one can “imagine the threat to national security” because of Bangladesh providing better mobile connectivity in the border regions. “Our telecom operators are penalised if their signals go to the other side of the border,” he said adding how this works as a disincentive for the mobile service providers. Sangma demanded that this rule be changed as he stressed on how ‘connectivity’ is the key if Digital India has to succeed.

Prasad said, “Since Narendra Modi government has come to power, you (North East) does not need to go to Delhi, it is Delhi which comes to North East,” he said, pointing at the Central government officials who were present there.

Prasad flashed his Aadhaar card to show that it just had his photo, name, Patna’s permanent address. “It does not have my jaat, dharm imaan…” the minister said, claiming how Aadhaar does not have details which could be used to profile a user. “We have been able to save ₹90,000 crore which would be eaten up by the middle men.”

During the event several projects covering all north east states were launched. Foundation stone was laid for four National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology.

The vision document for Digital North East, a part of the Digital India programme, identifies eight digital thrust areas including digital infrastructure, digital services, digital empowerment, promotion of electronics manufacturing, promotion of information technology, digital payments and so on. As part of the vision, the Centre will also undertake capacity building of 50,000 state government employees from north east states, Prasad said.

MOBILE OPERATORS ARE PENALISED IF THE SIGNALS GO TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BORDER WHICH WORKS AS A DISINCENTIVE FOR THE SERVICE PROVIDERS