No mobile network in state’s 1,237 villages: Mahaling

Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s 1,237 villages still do not have coverage for a mobile network, with at least 145 villages in Rayagada, the highest among 30 districts, not having the facility.

Electronics and IT minister Mukesh Mahaling told the assembly on Monday, in a written reply, that work on 944 towers is underway to facilitate connectivity in uncovered areas.

The minister’s response came following a question from Bhubaneswar-Central MLA Ananta Narayan Jena, who wanted to know about mobile network coverage in the state, the villages not having coverage, and what steps the govt is taking to ensure that the network is available.

“To build a developed Odisha, it is imperative that mobile and internet services reach every section of people in all areas. Both the Odisha govt and Centre realise this and, under Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), there is a plan to install mobile towers,” the minister’s reply read.

He further said that, according to the department of telecommunications (DOT), only 1,237 villages in Odisha do not have mobile service. “Under the DBN scheme, the work of installing the remaining 944 mobile towers to provide mobile services to 1,237 villages that do not have mobile services is underway, which is targeted to be completed by June 2026,” the reply said.

The reply revealed that tribal-dominated districts mostly have the highest number of villages without connectivity. The districts are Rayagada, Malkangiri, and Kandhamal. Ganjam is also in the fourth spot, with 104 villages not having the network. Districts having very few villages without a network are Balasore (1), Jagatsinghpur (2), Dhenkanal and Bargarh (4 villages each), and Bhadrak (5 villages).

Local leaders have been complaining that the lack of mobile network in villages is a major hurdle in digital inclusion, education, financial transactions, and e-governance.

Exactly 1 year ago, a reply in March 2025, responding to a similar question about mobile services in villages, the minister informed the assembly that, out of 51,176 total villages in Odisha, 2,603 villages remained unconnected.