Jammu, January 30, 2026 : In a major push to bridge the digital divide, the Jammu and Kashmir Government has issued work orders for 775 mobile tower sites to extend 4G connectivity to uncovered and remote villages, especially in border, hilly and far-flung areas of the Union Territory.
Secretary, Information Technology Department, Piyush Singla informed that the project is being implemented under the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) of the Centre, with BSNL as the executing agency. He was briefing the 10th State Broadband Committee meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo.
The meeting reviewed progress on key digital initiatives, including the 4G saturation project, Amended BharatNet Programme (ABP), 5G preparedness, Call Before You Dig (CBuD) and other telecom projects.
Singla said land has been allotted at all identified sites, while power connectivity has been provided to most locations with support from the Power Development Department (PDD). The Chief Secretary directed agencies to expedite installation and commissioning, particularly for 269 sites targeted for completion by March 31, and fast-track approvals for the remaining sites.
The meeting also reviewed border village saturation, covering 1,421 villages, stressing the need for seamless connectivity in strategically important areas.
Progress under the Amended BharatNet Programme was assessed, which aims to provide optical fibre connectivity to all Gram Panchayats with 98% uptime. Achievements include signing of implementation agreements, establishment of a Network Operations Centre in Jammu, centralized billing, and resolution of inter-departmental issues through a tripartite MoU.
On 5G readiness, initiatives related to Right of Way facilitation, street furniture mapping, and capacity building were highlighted. A one-day 5G and RoW workshop was also organised in November 2025 in collaboration with the DoT.
Reviewing the Samriddh Gram Panchayat Pilot Project, the Chief Secretary noted that FTTH connectivity is being extended to 2,234 schools and 1,138 primary health centres in rural areas, underlining that digital connectivity at the grassroots is vital for improving governance, education, healthcare and entrepreneurship.
