The Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) on 27th July amended its agreement with Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited to provide mobile services in 354 uncovered villages as part of the uncovered village project.
The agreement, initially valid for 11 years and six months, is now valid for 12 years and seven months unless revoked earlier. This includes the execution time and period for the service provision from the date of signing the agreement.
The USP initially had to commission and provide mobile services from all the infrastructure sites in a bidding unit within 18 months (6 months for site survey & completion of POC, 12 months for implementation) from the agreement’s signing date. The same has now been revised to 31 months (6 months for the site survey & completion of POC, 25 months for implementation) from the agreement’s signing date.
The USP, which had to install and commission mobile towers in the additional 55 villages by 30th June 2022, is now supposed to do the same by 30th September 2022. The project extension for the period up to 30th November 2022 is given with the applicable liquidated damages (LD) as per the terms and conditions of the agreement. The liquidated damages (LD) may be applicable only on the original 354 uncovered village project and not on the additional order of 55 uncovered villages.
