Posted On:
03 JUL 2026 2:26PM by PIB Ahmedabad
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Government of India, Gujarat Licensed Service Area (LSA), organized "गुजरात में डिजिटल एवं दूरसंचार विकास पर संवाद" on 02 July 2026 at the RTTC Conference Hall, Ahmedabad, bringing together representative of the Government of Gujarat and the Department of Telecommunications, Government of India and all stake holders to deliberate on strengthening digital infrastructure and telecom connectivity across the State.
The event is commenced with ceremonial lamp lighting by Shri Arjunbhai Devabhai Modhwadia, Hon'ble Cabinet Minister (Forests & Environment, Climate Change, Science & Technology), Government of Gujarat as a Chief Guest and Sh. Ashish Thaker, Addl. DGT Gujarat LSA, WMO & Head of Telecom Operators.
Welcoming the dignitaries, Shri Ashish Thaker, Additional Director General (Telecom), DoT Gujarat LSA, highlighted the pivotal role of DoT Gujarat in ensuring secure, reliable and future-ready telecom services across Gujarat. He emphasized the Department's continued focus on network expansion, telecom security, citizen-centric services and digital inclusion. He explained in detail about the SASCI Scheme, under which Gujarat has been earmarked ₹150 crore as a 50-year interest-free loan, linked to telecom reforms, BharatNet compliance and power-sector coordination.
During the technical presentation, DoT Gujarat showcased the State's robust telecom ecosystem. Gujarat today has over 52,000 telecom towers, nearly 2 lakh Base Transceiver Stations (BTSs), more than 38,000 5G BTSs, and a tele-density of around 120%, serving nearly 8.9 crore mobile subscribers. The Department also highlighted initiatives such as 5G Use Case Labs, Sanchar Mitra, EMF compliance monitoring, disaster preparedness, and the citizen-centric Sanchar Saathi platform, whose CHAKSHU, CEIR and Financial Risk Indicator modules have significantly contributed to cyber fraud prevention and recovery of stolen mobile handsets.
The meeting reviewed key digital connectivity initiatives in Gujarat, including the 4G Saturation Project, under which 857 sites have been sanctioned and 653 towers commissioned to provide indigenous 4G services in uncovered, border and tribal areas; the Amended BharatNet Programme, under which all 14,294 Gram Panchayats are service-ready and ₹5,631 crore has been earmarked to expand rural fibre connectivity; and the Call Before u Dig (CBuD) platform, launched under PM Gati Shakti to prevent damage to underground utility infrastructure during excavation activities.
The Department also showcased the impact of the Sanchar Saathi citizen-centric platform in strengthening digital safety and combating telecom-enabled cyber fraud across the country. Through the Chakshu module, more than 49 lakh fraudulent mobile connections have been disconnected. Over the last year, Gujarat LSA has significantly strengthened the implementation of the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) through regular training programmes and close coordination with Gujarat Police.
These efforts have increased the mobile recovery rate from 35% (March 2025) to 48.37% (June 2026), improving Gujarat's rank among large states from 7th to 2nd. Gujarat's recovery rate of 48.37% is well above the Pan-India average of 34%, reflecting the strong collaboration between DoT and Gujarat Police in tracing and recovering lost and stolen mobile phones. The CEIR module has enabled the tracing of more than 33 lakh lost or stolen mobile handsets, while the Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI) has helped financial institutions prevent citizen losses exceeding ₹2,300 crore by providing real-time alerts against suspected financial frauds. These initiatives demonstrate the growing role of telecom intelligence in safeguarding citizens and securing India's digital ecosystem.
Addressing the gathering, the Hon'ble Ministers appreciated the collaborative efforts of the Department of Telecommunications and the Government of Gujarat in strengthening digital connectivity, expanding broadband infrastructure and enabling secure telecom services. They reiterated the State Government's commitment to supporting telecom infrastructure development and digital transformation, particularly in rural, remote and underserved areas. Hon’ble Minister congratulate the team of Department of Telecom in Gujarat LSA for excellent performance of Gujarat by better coordination with Gujarat state government.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Shri Girish Kataria, Deputy Director General, DoT Gujarat, reaffirming DoT Gujarat's commitment to working closely with the Government of Gujarat, telecom service providers and all stakeholders to build a resilient, secure and digitally empowered Gujarat, in line with the vision of Digital India and Viksit Bharat 2047.
Regarding details of development of telecom in State of Gujarat as below -
Achievement 4G Saturation Project
- Government of India project (₹26,316 crore) to provide 4G connectivity in uncovered villages and remote areas.
- Implemented by BSNL using indigenous 4G technology.
- In Gujarat, 857 sites sanctioned; 653 sites commissioned.
- Remaining sites are under implementation and being closely monitored.
- With the continued support of the Government of Gujarat in land availability, forest clearances, power connectivity, and law & order, Gujarat State is among the top achievers in the country in implementing the 4G Saturation Project
- In last FY, Gujarat achieved the target of commissioning 114 DBN 4G Saturation sites by resolving all 161 PMIS issues through close coordination with the Gujarat State Government.
Achievement of BharatNet Project
BharatNet, the Government of India's flagship rural broadband programme (₹1.39 lakh crore), has made all 14,294 Gram Panchayats in Gujarat service-ready. Under the Amended BharatNet Programme, ₹5,631 crore has been earmarked for Gujarat to provide around 5 lakh FTTH connections to rural households, institutions and enterprises over the next five years. The project will strengthen e-Governance, digital education, telemedicine, banking, and other citizen-centric services, accelerating digital inclusion in rural Gujarat.
Achievement of Call Before u Dig (CBuD) Application
CBuD, a DoT initiative under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, was launched to prevent damage to underground utility infrastructure during excavation. It enables coordination between excavators and utility owners through a web portal and mobile app, protecting telecom, power, water, gas, and other underground utility assets. With 3,264 asset owners, 21 Government departments, 4,377 registered excavators, and over 15,500 excavation enquiries processed, Gujarat is among the top-performing States in the country in the implementation of the CBuD platform.
Achievement regarding Constitution of Committees
As per Government of India directions, Gujarat has operationalized all three coordination committees— State Broadband Committee (SBC) at the Chief Secretary of Gujarat State level, District Level Telecom Committee (DLTC) at the District Collector level, and Digital Access committee (DAC) at the Gram Panchayat level—to strengthen coordination between telecom service providers and State Government agencies. Organized 4 SBC meeting (one per quarter), 24 DLTC meetings, 155 DAC meetings were conducted in the last financial year in Gujarat, which help in accelerating broadband expansion and implementation of key telecom initiatives.
Achievement regarding testing of EMF Radiation
DoT audited over 3.35 lakh EMF self-certificates submitted by TSPs to ensure compliance with prescribed radiation norms. Total 3756 BTS were physically tested by the DoT by visiting the site. All the BTS were found compliant. To check the level of radiation from 5G BTS (tower) an additional 735 BTS were tested and found compliant.To create awareness among the public about EMR and Tarang Sanchar 28 EMR awareness programs were conducted across the Gujarat.To ensure the minimum roll out of new spectrum allotted to TSPs in 3300 MHz, 709 sites of M/s VIL, 749 Sites of M/s RJIL were tested across the all districts of Gujarat.
Achievement regarding Cyber Security (Recovery of Mobile Handsets)
- CEIR Performance (Central Equipment Identity Register): CEIR portal for recovery of stolen mobile phones. Gujarat LSA secured 2nd rank among Large States. A total of 2.03 lakh mobiles were blocked, 1.27 lakh traced, and 61,254 recovered (Recovery Rate: 48.37%).
- Awareness & Capacity Building: Conducted 79 cyber awareness programmes covering Sanchar Saathi, CEIR, Chakshu, cyber frauds, AI tools, illegal telecom setups, and cyber hygiene.
- DIP–Chakshu: Analyzed 44,213 suspected fraudulent communication complaints received through the Digital Intelligence Platform.
- Mobile Number Disconnections: 1.43 lakh mobile numbers were disconnected in Gujarat based on inputs from the Digital Intelligence Platform.
- Know Your Mobile Connections: 17.68 lakh requests from Gujarat were processed through the Sanchar Saathi portal.
- SIM Disconnections: 8.47 lakh mobile connections were disconnected in Gujarat using the Know Your Mobile Connections module.
- CEIR Roll-out: CEIR has been implemented in all 748 police stations in Gujarat, as part of the nationwide rollout across 15,000+ police stations.
- Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI): 120+ banks and financial institutions, including all Cooperative Banks in Gujarat, have been integrated with the FRI module.
- Action Against Illegal Telecom Setup: One illegal telecom setup was detected and busted in Gujarat in December 2025.
Achievement of Establishment of 5G Use Case Labs in Gujarat
5G Innovation Ecosystem: Facilitated three 5G Use Case Labs at premier institutions: IIT Gandhinagar, NSU Gandhinagar, and SVNIT Surat. These labs serve as a foundational ground for telecom innovation by students and researchers.
RoW ( Right of Way) status of Gujarat State -
A RoW portal was formed for online application of Right of Way. No RoW pendency older than 2025 in Gujarat. Gujarat State has already implemented the latest RoW policy of Government of India. Eliminated the backlog of all 78-legacy Right of Way (RoW) applications pending prior to 01.01.2025 through proactive engagement with State Government departments, thereby facilitating faster rollout of telecom infrastructure. No pending case of RoW prior to 2025.
Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI)
The Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance has earmarked ₹150 crore for Gujarat under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) Scheme as a 50-year interest-free loan. The incentive is linked to three areas: Implementation of RoW Rules, 2024 and Telecom Act, 2023 (65%), BharatNet compliance (25%), and compliance with Ministry of Power directions (10%).
Due to the active cooperation of the Gujarat State Government, during the last three years Gujarat LSA was ranked - Number One LSA one time, Number 2 LSA one time and Number 4 LSA in the country which is OUTSTANDING performance.
સોશિયલ મીડિયા પર અમને ફોલો કરો : 
@PIBAhmedabad 
/pibahmedabad1964 
/pibahmedabad 
pibahmedabad1964[at]gmail[dot]com