RAMKRISHNANAGAR: In a striking tale of two Indias, several villages in Assam’s Sribhumi district are languishing in a digital dark age, a stark contrast to the nation’s rapid push for 4G and 5G services. For the residents of Rangkhal, Upper Rangkhal, and Manishyapur under the Vetaibandh Panchayat, a simple phone call is a daily test of endurance, often involving a climb up a tree or a nearby hill just to catch a fleeting signal. This struggle for basic mobile connectivity has left locals feeling betrayed and forgotten, questioning the very promises of progress they were sold.
Adding to the growing frustration, villagers allege that local MLA Bijoy Malakar had promised to establish network services in the area prior to his election. Years on, that assurance has reportedly remained unfulfilled, leaving the community digitally marooned. The residents are now making a desperate appeal to the highest echelons of state leadership, urging the Chief Minister to intervene. “Please give us the opportunity to become smart as well,” pleaded a villager, a poignant reflection of the community’s collective yearning for a piece of the digital revolution that has so far bypassed their corner of the state.
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