Govt plans to install 400 new BSNL towers in Naxalite-affected and remote areas in Chhattisgarh
'The Central government is working on a plan to install 400 new BSNL towers in the Naxal-affected and remote areas of Chhattisgarh to strengthen digital communication,' said Minister Pemmasani.
According to the agency report, the Minister said that the towers will be installed in phases after the required approvals from the security forces and the forest department are obtained.
Pemmasani, the Minister of State for Rural Development and Telecommunications, conducted a high-level review meeting in Raipur, which was attended by senior officials from various departments and from the telco Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL).
'BSNL is currently providing high-quality 4G services across the country, and with this expansion, we are realising the mission of delivering digital connectivity to the last village in the country,' Pemmasani said, according to the agency report.
Minister Pemmasani also highlighted that the government is conducting development work in the LWE-affected areas (Left-Wing Extremist) in a 'mission mode' and said that the government is coming up with a strategy to deliver services at people's doorsteps who are living in these regions.
Digitising schools to enable students to prepare for competitive exams like JEE and NEET, providing special facilities for differently-abled students under a sensitive and inclusive initiative, are among the development measures according to the agency report.
'Rapid development and transformation are now being seen in deprived, tribal, and remote areas as well,' he said, cited by the news agency.
The Minister in the meeting also expressed his satisfaction over the fast and effective implementation of flagship schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana- Gramin (PMAY-G), and the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) in Chhattisgarh.
Minister Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani also appreciated the role of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) while acknowledging initiatives like the 'Pink Auto' scheme to make women self-reliant, which could become a role model for other states.
'The SHGs are being linked with various schemes for providing them financial assistance, training, and marketing opportunities. This is helping women become self-reliant and increasing opportunities for self-employment,' he said, reported the news agency.
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33 minutes ago
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New Delhi, Aug 3 (PTI) An alarming trend of young adolescents turning to artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots like ChatGPT to express their deepest emotions and personal problems is raising serious concerns among educators and mental health professionals. Experts warn that this digital 'safe space" is creating a dangerous dependency, fueling validation-seeking behaviour, and deepening a crisis of communication within families. They said that this digital solace is just a mirage, as the chatbots are designed to provide validation and engagement, potentially embedding misbeliefs and hindering the development of crucial social skills and emotional resilience. Sudha Acharya, the Principal of ITL Public School, highlighted that a dangerous mindset has taken root among youngsters, who mistakenly believe that their phones offer a private sanctuary. 'School is a social place – a place for social and emotional learning," she told PTI. 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It is really alarming as the cases like these are rising." Ayeshi, a student in Class 11, confessed that she shared her personal issues with AI bots numerous times out of 'fear of being judged" in real life. 'I felt like it was an emotional space and eventually developed an emotional dependency towards it. It felt like my safe space. It always gives positive feedback and never contradicts you. Although I gradually understood that it wasn't mentoring me or giving me real guidance, that took some time," the 16-year-old told PTI. Ayushi also admitted that turning to chatbots for personal issues is 'quite common" within her friend circle. Another student, Gauransh, 15, observed a change in his own behaviour after using chatbots for personal problems. 'I observed growing impatience and aggression," he told PTI. He had been using the chatbots for a year or two but stopped recently after discovering that 'ChatGPT uses this information to advance itself and train its data." Psychiatrist Dr. Lokesh Singh Shekhawat of RML Hospital confirmed that AI bots are meticulously customised to maximise user engagement. 'When youngsters develop any sort of negative emotions or misbeliefs and share them with ChatGPT, the AI bot validates them," he explained. 'The youth start believing the responses, which makes them nothing but delusional." He noted that when a misbelief is repeatedly validated, it becomes 'embedded in the mindset as a truth." This, he said, alters their point of view — a phenomenon he referred to as 'attention bias' and 'memory bias'. The chatbot's ability to adapt to the user's tone is a deliberate tactic to encourage maximum conversation, he added. Singh stressed the importance of constructive criticism for mental health, something completely absent in the AI interaction. 'Youth feel relieved and ventilated when they share their personal problems with AI, but they don't realise that it is making them dangerously dependent on it," he warned. He also drew a parallel between an addiction to AI for mood upliftment and addictions to gaming or alcohol. 'The dependency on it increases day by day," he said, cautioning that in the long run, this will create a 'social skill deficit and isolation." PTI ABU APL HIG (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: August 03, 2025, 10:00 IST News agency-feeds Validation, loneliness, insecurity: Why youth are turning to ChatGPT Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
