New Delhi, Sep 10 (IANS): The union cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday gave its approval for implementing a Comprehensive Telecom Development Plan for the northeastern region (NER).

The project will provide 2G mobile coverage in identified uncovered areas of the NER, provide 2G seamless mobile coverage along national highways and ensure reliability of transmission network in state capitals and district headquarters in the NER.

An official release said the proposal entails an estimated expenditure of Rs.5,336.18 crore.

The plan will be funded from the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF).

The project will also increase the reliability of connecting district and state headquarters by providing alternative optical fibre connectivity.

It will also ensure that notwithstanding any problem in one route, the voice and data transfer through other route will keep the district and state headquarters connected.

This project is aimed at covering the uncovered villages in the northeastern region as also keeping seamless connectivity on national highways in this region.

The release said there were 43,200 villages in this region, of which 9,190 (21 percent) did not have any mobile network.