Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pet scheme Digital India has received a setback after the photos of one of his senior cabinet ministers climbing a ladder to receive a clear mobile signal went viral.
Union Minister Arjun Meghwal, was visiting his home state Rajasthan when he needed to make a phone call to one of the local government officials. However, he was unable to do so as there was no mobile network.
Locals suggested him to do what they did in similar situation- to climb a tree to get clear mobile signal.
Meghwal, who’s a junior finance minister in Modi’s cabinet, climbed a tree and witnessed the ground realities of the Digital India dream at the Dhoolia village in his home constituency of Bikaner.
The minister, who’s in his early 60s, confessed that he couldn’t climb a tree just like that. This prompted villagers to make arrangement for a ladder, reported NDTV.
A video of Mr Meghwal talking on the phone to an official while balancing himself on the ladder has been widely shared on social media.
He received loud cheers and applause after he successfully completed his phone conversation, while climbing a tree.
Meghwal has also reportedly directed officials to set up mobile towers in the villages within three months, at a cost of Rs. 13 lakh.