Nagaland Lok Sabha MP, S Supongmeren Jamir has raised concerns over gaps in BSNL connectivity and telecommunications infrastructure in the State, urging the Union Government to ensure time-bound completion of pending projects and reliable services, particularly in remote and underserved areas.
In a letter dated October 14, 2026, Union Minister for Communications and Development of North Eastern Region, Jyotiraditya M Scindia, responded to Jamir’s D.O. letter dated August 4, acknowledging infrastructure gaps and outlining the ongoing and proposed expansion of BSNL services across Nagaland.
According to the Ministry’s response, only nine of Nagaland’s 17 District Headquarters (DHQs) have Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) connectivity, while the remaining eight are yet to be covered. At the Block Headquarters (BHQ) level, only 16 of the 75 have OFC connectivity, leaving 59 without the facility.
Under the 4G Saturation Project, BSNL is installing 346 4G towers to provide coverage to 458 villages across the State. Of these, 287 towers have been commissioned, extending 4G services to 387 villages. The figures indicate that a substantial portion of the project remains incomplete.
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Jamir said reliable telecommunications connectivity was no longer a luxury but an essential public service, particularly in a geographically challenging and predominantly rural State like Nagaland. He stressed that connectivity was directly linked to education, healthcare, economic opportunities, banking services, governance and emergency communication.
The Minister’s response also stated that BSNL Nagaland presently has 187 technical staff, including 17 Junior Engineers (JEs), against a sanctioned strength of 10 JEs.
While acknowledging the available manpower, Jamir maintained that the larger concern was the timely completion of infrastructure projects and the delivery of dependable services at the grassroots level.
He emphasised that the remaining OFC connectivity gaps and pending 4G tower installations must be addressed within a definite timeframe, stating that merely announcing projects and presenting progress figures was not enough. The people of Nagaland, he said, deserved actual, uninterrupted and reliable connectivity.
Jamir also urged the Ministry and BSNL authorities to coordinate closely with the State Government to expedite implementation, strengthen existing infrastructure and ensure that remote and underserved villages were not left behind in the country’s digital transformation.
He reiterated his commitment to pursuing public-interest issues before the Union Government and ensuring that Nagaland receives its due share of infrastructure development and essential services.
