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Govt to improve communication network in NE, sensitive states

The Union government has decided to expand the communication network in sensitive states, particularly the North-East, Minister of State for Communication Kabindra Purkaystha said.

The move, it is hoped, would help the authorities in their fight against militancy.

Purkaystha said the government would improve the existing village public telephone system, provide subscribers trunk dialing facility in villages and change the overhead cables with underground ones.

To improve the VTP system and to meet the growing complaints of misuse and non-availability of telephones, a plan was afoot to relocate the place of VTP installations, he said.

As post offices were not there in all villages, these instruments were kept under the supervision of village panchayats at many places. However, in a majority of cases these were either misused or kept under lock and key.

"The ministry is planning to provide VPT connections on a commissioned basis with the primary objective of overcoming the problem of misuse of STD facilities," he said.

In most of the north-eastern states, he continued, the overhead telephone cables were highly vulnerable to climatic changes which caused frequent breakdown in the communication network.

UNI

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