Koraput: Despite major strides in mobile network expansion across the country, over 500 revenue villages in Odisha’s tribal-dominated Koraput district are still struggling without proper mobile and internet connectivity. This lack of digital infrastructure has become a major roadblock for the ongoing e-KYC (electronic Know Your Customer) process, which is essential for distributing Ayushman Bharat health cards.

The state government has planned to distribute nearly 5 lakh Ayushman Bharat cards in the Koraput district. Of these, around 3.3 lakh cards have already arrived. However, before the cards can be distributed, every beneficiary must complete the e-KYC process.

To facilitate this, ASHA workers have started going door-to-door to conduct the e-KYC process. Once this step is completed, the cards will be distributed through dedicated programmes at the panchayat and block levels.

However, in many hilly and forested areas, including villages along routes from Sunki on the Andhra Pradesh border and from Nandapur to Chatuva, mobile network signals are barely available. Similarly, large stretches of the Koraput-Rayagada and Koraput-Jeypore roads also suffer from network unavailability.

Even some villages located just 10 km from Koraput town, such as Mashaput, Butuguda, Ghodadhara, Talbangara, Girliput, Phulpadar, Mastiguda, Kusumguda, and Dandakotra, have remained out of mobile network coverage for years.

Residents say they have to climb hills to get mobile signal. This has been creating severe issues during emergencies and now raises concerns as to how the e-KYC of thousands of beneficiaries will be carried out in these areas.

ASHA workers said they have not been given clear guidance on how to proceed with e-KYC in regions lacking internet connectivity.