Reforms in the telecommunications sector have started showing results as tele-density in the country has gone up to 5 per cent at the end of March, 2003 compared to 3.64 in March 2001.

According to official figures, Delhi stood on top with 26.85 per cent tele-density, followed by 11.60 per cent in Punjab and 11.13 per cent in Kerala.

Despite this encouraging trend, rural India continues to be backward in the telecommunications sector as the telephone connections remain at 1.49 per cent compared to 15.16 per cent in the urban areas.

States having less than 5 per cent tele-density are Uttaranchal (3.95 per cent), West Bengal (3.72 per cent), Rajasthan (3.40 per cent), Madhya Pradesh (2.88 per cent), North-East (2.70 per cent), Orissa (2.22 per cent) and Uttar Pradesh (2.13 per cent).

Four states having less than 2 per cent tele-density are Assam with 1.94 per cent, Jharkhand 1.57 per cent, Chhattisgarh 1.39 per cent and Bihar was lowest at 1.32 per cent.

The New Telecom Policy (NTP '99) had laid special emphasis on providing telecommunication services to rural areas and providing reliable media to all exchanges.

The targets set were to make available telephone on demand by 2002 and to achieve tele-density of 7 per cent by 2005 and 15 per cent by 2010, an official statement said.