The 18th meeting of the State Broadband Committee was held at the Government Secretariat on Friday under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Shri V. Srinivas. The meeting reviewed the strengthening of digital infrastructure across the State, reforms to be undertaken under the Central Government’s Special Assistance for Capital Investment Scheme 2026-27, implementation of the Telecommunications Right of Way (RoW) Rules, 2024, and progress under the 4G Saturation Project.
Chief Secretary Shri V. Srinivas said that ensuring access to digital services and uninterrupted internet connectivity in remote and tribal areas, as well as villages adjoining the international border under the Vibrant Villages initiative, is a top priority of the State Government. He emphasised that people should not be deprived of the benefits of government schemes and digital services due to a lack of connectivity.
Directions to Expedite RoW Reforms and Single-Window System
The Chief Secretary directed all urban local bodies, municipal corporations and public sector undertakings in the State to mandatorily adopt the new Right of Way (RoW) Rules, effective from January 1, 2025, by September 30.
The meeting was informed that seven major departments have already been integrated with the State RoW Portal. The Chief Secretary directed that integration of the remaining institutions be completed at the earliest.
He made it clear that the system of offline applications should be completely discontinued and that all RoW-related processes should be undertaken transparently through the State RoW Portal.
₹150 Crore Incentive Target Under Special Assistance Scheme
The meeting was informed that, under the Special Assistance for Capital Investment Scheme of the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, 100 per cent of the RoW applications pending as of March 31, 2026, have already been disposed of.
The Chief Secretary expressed satisfaction that the average disposal time for RoW permissions has been kept below 45 days, with the current average standing at around 32 days.
He directed the concerned departments to complete the remaining formalities, including execution of the amended BharatNet Project Addendum and timely implementation of the Common Application Form and consolidated billing system by the Energy Department. These measures, he said, should be completed within the prescribed timeline to enable the State to receive the full incentive amount of ₹150 crore.
4G Saturation: District Collectors Directed to Expedite Land Allocation
While reviewing the 4G Saturation Project being implemented with funding from the Department of Telecommunications, the Chief Secretary directed that District Collectors personally monitor cases where allocation of revenue land for mobile towers is pending.
He specifically highlighted Udaipur, Bikaner, Barmer and Jaisalmer and directed that the pending issues be resolved at the earliest. He further emphasised that uncovered villages in border districts, including Barmer and Sri Ganganagar, should be provided network connectivity on the highest priority.
Directions to Provide Practical Solutions to Industry Issues
Taking a positive approach to the issues raised by telecommunications service providers during the meeting, the Chief Secretary directed the concerned departments to examine the possibility of refunding processing fees in cases where applications have been rejected by local bodies.
He also directed that smart metering and group billing processes be streamlined. Mobile tower installations should not be stayed unilaterally in the absence of a lawful hearing or on the basis of unsubstantiated complaints, he said.
Such cases should be disposed of at the level of the District Collector strictly in accordance with the RoW Rules and applicable guidelines.
The Chief Secretary also directed that charges for laying cables in Smart City ducts and municipal areas be kept practical and standardised to ensure optimum utilisation of existing infrastructure.
Secretary, Information Technology and Communication Department, Shri Ravi Kumar Surpur; Commissioner, Information Technology and Communication Department, Shri Himanshu Gupta; representatives of the Department of Telecommunications; and officers from the Energy Department, Panchayati Raj Department, Jaipur Metro Rail Corporation Limited, Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation, Rajasthan Housing Board, Rajasthan Transport Department, Rajasthan Police Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited and Revenue Department were present at the meeting.
Office-bearers of the Cellular Operators Association of India and the Digital Infrastructure Providers Association participated in the meeting through video conference.