New Delhi, Dec 8 (PTI) Over 93 per cent of villages in the country now have mobile broadband coverage through 3G and 4G technologies, according to information shared by Minister of State for Communications Devusinh Chauhan in Parliament on Wednesday.

Also Read | Apple Looking Into Call Drop Issue on iPhone 12 & iPhone 13 Models.

The minister in a separate reply on rural broadband project also informed that more than 1.66 lakh gram panchayats have also been made service-ready as of November 1.

Also Read | West Side Story: Throwback! When Bollywood Already Made Its Adaptation in This Shah Rukh Khan-Aishwarya Rai Bachchan Film!.

"As per data provided by TSPs (telecom service providers) and field units of Department of Telecommunications as on December 2020, it is estimated that out of 5,97,618 inhabited census villages (as per Census 2011) in the country, a total number of 5,58,537 villages have been connected with mobile broadband through 3G/4G mobile technologies," Chauhan said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

Broadband access is provided in the country through mobile wireless 3G and 4G technologies and fixed wireline connections by telecom operators in a phased manner, the minister stated.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)