The Centre has disbursed ₹2,229.35 crore to telecom operators to expand mobile connectivity in rural and remote areas of Odisha, Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia informed the Rajya Sabha.

In a written reply in the House, Scindia said the financial support was provided through the Digital Bharat Nidhi, which aims to promote universal access to telecommunication services in underserved rural, remote and urban areas across the country.

According to the minister, 34,780 mobile towers have been planned under 12 DBN-funded projects nationwide to provide connectivity to 46,331 villages lacking adequate telecom infrastructure.

Out of these, 5,182 mobile towers are planned in Odisha to cover 7,157 villages in rural and remote regions of the state.

Scindia further said that 4,470 of the planned towers will be located in 13 districts of Odisha that fall under areas notified in the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of India, which largely includes tribal-dominated regions.

As of February 28, 2026, ₹2,229.35 crore has been disbursed from the Digital Bharat Nidhi to telecom operators for expanding mobile services in Odisha’s rural areas. Of this, ₹1,859.95 crore has been allocated for districts covered under the Fifth Schedule, the minister said.

The initiative is expected to strengthen digital connectivity, improve communication infrastructure and support socio-economic development in rural and tribal areas of the state.