While providing information in response to an RTI application of RTI activist Raman Sharma, government owned telecom company Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, BSNL has stated that it has provided 17795 Broadband Internet Connections to the subscribers in Jammu and Kashmir between period 01/Aug/2019 to 19/Dec/2019 (till RTI reply filed). The written RTI reply has been forwarded by GM(Admn) & CPIO, BSNL, J & K Circle dated 28/12/2019.
Earlier Sharma had filed an online RTI plea with the BSNL authorities seeking information about the number of days in which a subscriber should get a broadband internet connection, the fees charged and the total number of broadband connection provided by the BSNL in J & K.
It is pertinent to mention here that after abrogation of article 370 and 35-A, since 05/Aug/2019, the mobile internet services were suspended in entire J & K state(now UT) that have caused huge losses to the business community and also to the students of J & K UT. Many traders and even government employees could not file their Income Tax Returns on time due to internet blockade.
Applicant Raman further informed that though the BSNL have provided him the information with regard to number of broadband connections it provided post Aug-2019 but the information related to number of days in which a connection should be provided is yet awaited.