Bhubaneswar: Out of 51,176 villages in Odisha, 2,603 remain without mobile connectivity, E&IT Minister Mukesh Mahaling informed the state assembly on Monday. To bridge this gap, the Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) project, a joint initiative of the central and state governments, aims to install 4,210 mobile towers.

Currently, 2,572 towers are operational, with efforts underway to complete the remaining installations. The government has set a target to achieve full mobile network coverage across Odisha by June 2025, ensuring connectivity for all rural areas.