A total of 2,603 villages in 167 blocks of Odisha do not have any mobile network, while 10 panchayats lack broadband connectivity, a state minister said.
He said in the assembly that 375 villages in Kandhamal district have no mobile network services, followed by Rayagada (274), Gajapati (241), Koraput (223), Malkangiri (216), Kalahandi (203) and Nayagarh (184).
Electronics & Information Technology Minister Mukesh Mahaling was replying to a query by BJD MLA Arun Kumar Sahoo in the House.
In terms of mobile connectivity, the top three districts are Balasore (only one village without mobile network), Jagatsinghpur (two) and Puri (three).
Mahaling said installation of new mobile towers is underway under the Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) telecom project, which is likely to be completed by June.
The 10 panchayats that lack broadband connectivity are likely to get the services through satellite, he added. PTI