14-Oct-2022: DoT receives 100 Registrations for M2M Service Provider/WLAN/WPAN Connectivity Provider
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Communications has announced that it received 100 Registrations for M2M Service Provider/ WLAN/ WPAN Connectivity Provider, till today. M2M/IoT communication results in significant operational efficiencies, improved quality of products and services, appropriate and autonomous decision making, cost efficiency and improved ROI besides being capable of unlimited scalability.
In order to strengthen the M2M/IoT eco-system and to facilitate wider proliferation and innovation in the sector, DoT had issued guidelines for registration of M2M Service Providers and WPAN/WLAN Connectivity Providers. To facilitate the prospective registrants and with a view to aid ease of doing business, DoT commenced the process of on-boarding the M2M Service Providers in March ’22 through a very simple online registration process on its existing Saral Sanchar portal.
This registration would go a long way in addressing issues such as obtaining resources from the authorised telecom licensees, KYC, traceability and encryption for the M2M Service Providers. It may also help M2M Service Providers to boost their business globally, as registration will provide them recognition as a registered entity with Government of India. Moreover, the online registration will create a database which may be used by the Connectivity Providers to manage effective spectrum sharing in unlicensed bands which might help in achieving high QoS. This registration shall also facilitate Government to gather information on the various use cases of M2M/IoT being developed by the M2MSPs and help in adoption of one M2M standards-based deployments in the country.
M2M Service Providers and WPAN/WLAN Connectivity Providers who have yet not registered are again requested to register themselves through DoT’s Saral Sanchar Portal: https://www.saralsanchar.gov.in
1-Jul-2022: Department of Telecommunications signs agreement with ITI Limited and BSNL to fund pilot projects under Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF)
Department of Telecommunications (USOF), Ministry of Communications has signed an agreement with Indian Telephone Industries (ITI) Limited and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) to fund the pilot projects of E-band, LTE indigenous technologies including integration of 4G/5G prototypes with C-DoT core.
The Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), under its program for Induction of new technological developments in the telecom sector in rural and remote areas, is funding 4 pilot projects each of around Rs 10 Crore enabling the development and hardening of these technologies. The indigenous companies Astrome technologies, Lekha Wireless Solutions, Resonous Technologies, Signaltron would be executing these projects in partnership with C-DoT and DoT PSUs BSNL and ITI.
10-May-2022: A historic initiative by Department of Telecommunications - India advances in 5G/ORAN testing eco system through public private partnership
Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC), a technical arm of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) signed today a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with M/s VVDN Technologies Private Limited, an Indian product engineering and manufacturing company working in various technology domains including 5G, Networking, IoT, Cloud & Apps.
The MoU was signed by Shri A.S. Verma, DDG (MT), TEC and Shri Puneet Agarwal, CEO, M/s VVDN in the presence of Shri Nizamul Haq, Member (Services), Digital Communication Commission (DCC), Department of Telecommunications. The signing event was attended by Shri R.R. Mittar Sr. DDG, TEC, Shri Prashanth Kumar DDG (MTCTE), Shri Akhilesh Kumar Gupta DDG (RC) and other officers from both the organizations.
The signing of MoU will facilitate registered startups, innovators and MSMEs working in the field of Open RAN to get their product tested at the existing lab of M/s VVDN at Gurugram for interoperability among Open RAN components (RU/DU/CU) from different vendors along with radio conformance, protocol and interface testing as per defined Open RAN Standards at a subsidized tariff to be decided with mutual consent among MoU partners. The product offered for testing will be certified by TEC.
Such testing certification shall accelerate the research innovation domestic design and manufacturing .It is aimed that India shall be emerging as design leader in 5G/ORAN. This test certification eco system will make India as design testing and certification hub of Asia.
Both TEC & M/s VVDN have agreed to collaborate and work jointly in the area of Open RAN testing during the tenure of MoU which is for 5 years from the date of signing.. This is the first of its kind MoU signed by TEC as a step towards leveraging the existing Open RAN testing ecosystem in partnership with a private firm. TEC is undertaking massive reform to create best market access system in the world.
On this occasion, Shri Nizamul Haq, Member (Services) appreciated the efforts of TEC and assured that DOT will provide all necessary support for effective implementation of MoU.
6-Apr-2022: Reform in Telecom Sector
The government has approved structural and procedural reforms in the telecom sector on 15th September 2021. These reforms include Rationalization of Adjusted Gross Revenue; Rationalization of Bank Guarantees(BGs); Rationalization of interest rates and removal of penalties; Dispensing with the requirement of BGs (for auctions held henceforth) to secure instalment payments; Increasing spectrum tenure from 20 years to 30 years(in future auctions); Permission for surrender of spectrum after 10 years (in future auctions); Dispensing with the requirement of Spectrum Usage Charge (SUC) for spectrum acquired in future spectrum auctions; Removal of additional SUC of 0.5% for spectrum sharing; Permission for 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in telecom sector under automatic route subject to safeguards; Fixed time for spectrum auctions (normally in the last quarter of every financial year); Requirement of licenses under 1953 Customs Notification for wireless equipment replaced with self-declaration; Permission for Self-KYC; e-KYC rate revised to only one Rupee; Dispensing with the requirement of fresh KYC for shifting from Prepaid to Post-paid and vice-versa; Replacement of paper Customer Acquisition Forms with digital storage of data; Easing SACFA clearance for telecom towers; and Addressing liquidity requirements of the Telecom Service Providers by way of moratorium/deferment.
As per the information provided by the Telecom Service Providers (TSPs), 4G mobile coverage has been provided to 98% of the population of India. This massive 4G roll- out has boosted economic activities across the country, which has resulted in growth and creation of job opportunities. As far as 5G is concerned, permissions have been accorded to Indian TSPs for conducting trials for use and applications of 5G technology. With a view to lead innovations in next phase of technology development, the Department of Telecommunications has constituted a Technology Study Group on 6G.
The government has sought recommendations from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on auction of spectrum in frequency bands identified for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT)/5G in India.
18-Mar-2022: India’s Telecom Department and Commonwealth Telecommunications Organization organise event to highlight successes of India in adoption of effective ICTs
Department of Telecommunications, Government of India and the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organization (CTO) organized an online event - ‘Digital Transformation Center Stage (DTCS) - India’ to showcase and highlight successes of India in effective Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) adoption to encourage CTO member countries for adopting transformative digital solutions. India is a member country of the CTO which comprises 33 countries as its members.
In the event, the success stories of Aadhar (unique digital identifier) and Unified Payment Interface (UPI) System which are significant elements of Digital India Programme were shared with representatives of CTO member countries. UIDAI made presentation on Aadhar and highlighted its features such as 1.26 Bn live Aadhar, 68+ Bn Authentications, its support in Financial Inclusion, Aadhar-enabled Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) and its other use-cases. National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) made presentation on UPI System benefiting consumers, banks, fintech and merchants; and highlighted its features such as 4.52 Bn transactions in the month of February 2022 along with its other use-cases.
Department of Telecommunications thanked the CTO and its members; and proposed to provide support to them in their similar efforts and adoption of these solutions for empowering citizens. The CTO and member countries appreciated India for sharing these success stories with them.
25-Feb-2022: Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC) initiates fairness assessment of Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning Systems to build public trust
Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC), the technical arm of DoT has invited inputs for developing a framework for fairness assessment of Artificial Intelligence (AI)/ Machine Learning (ML) Systems with the aim of building public trust in AI/ ML Systems.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning applications are increasingly being used in all domains such as Healthcare, Agriculture, Smart Cities, Smart Homes, Finance, Defence, Transport, Logistics, Natural Language Processing, Surveillance, and so on. Various Government Organisations are also using AI/ ML Systems for delivery of public services and e-governance.
Bias in AI/ ML Systems raises various ethical, social and legal issues. While the users expect these systems to be fair in their outcomes, a biased AI/ ML System prefers a certain demography while discriminating against others. When AI/ ML Systems are used for e-governance or by the judiciary, checking for their fairness would become a legal requirement. Therefore, one important requirement of Responsible AI is that the AI/ ML Systems should be unbiased or fair.
National Digital Communications Policy-2018 mandates for synergising deployment and adoption of AI. National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence #AIforAll, and the Approach Documents for India, released by NITI Aayog, establish broad ethical principles for design, development and deployment of AI in India.
With the aim to build public trust in AI/ ML Systems, TEC is working on Voluntary Fairness Assessment of AI/ ML Systems. Accordingly, TEC is initiating stakeholder consultations and has invited suggestions for framing procedures for assessing fairness for different types of AI/ ML Systems vide letter No.: 4-3/2022-C&B/TEC/AI-Fairness dated 22.02.2022. Details have been posted on TEC website https://tec.gov.in
As these systems are being used in all aspects of our lives, the initiative of TEC would benefit every citizen of the country. Startups and MSMEs in particular and even large enterprises will benefit as their products will be more credible and acceptable if they are assessed and certified by a neutral government agency such as TEC. It would also act as a benchmark for fairness, so Researchers, College students and other individuals, Government organisations and all segments of the society would benefit at large.
4-Oct-2022: Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India amended the Legal Metrology (General) Rules, 2011 for ease of doing business and reducing the compliance burden for the industries
Section 49 of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 allows the companies to nominate any of its Directors as a person responsible for the business of the Company.
Earlier in case of violations under the Legal Metrology Act the prosecutions were initiated against the Directors of the companies even for the violation done by any establishment or branch or unit in any establishment or branch of the company.
There was request from various industries to allow nominating the person who is actually having the authority and responsibility of the establishment or branch or unit in any establishment or branch and not the Director, so that the notices for the violation done by the establishments or branches or units should not be issued to the Directors who are not responsible for the violation of establishment or branch or unit in any establishment or branch.
The Department for the enhancement of the Ease of Doing Business and for reducing the compliance burden amended the Legal Metrology (General) Rules, 2011 to provide for the companies to nominate an officer of the establishment or branch or unit in any establishment or branch who has the authority and responsibility for planning, directing and controlling the activities of the respective establishment or branch or unit in any establishment or branch.
With this amendment companies having different establishments or branches or different units in any establishment or branch can now nominate an officer who has the authority and responsibility for the operations and activities of the establishments or branches or different units.
This will facilitate the companies to nominate a person who is actually responsible for the activities of an establishment or branch of the company in place of Director of the Company, who is not directly involved in day to day activity of that establishment or branch thereof.
1-Oct-2022: Department of Consumer Affairs organises National Level Capacity Building Workshop on Price Monitoring of Essential Commodities
The Department of Consumer Affairs organized a one-day Capacity Building Workshop on Price Monitoring on 30th September, 2022 in New Delhi. The workshop was a part of the initiative to increase the geographical coverage of price collection, improve the quality of price data and analytical output thereof. The main objective of the Workshop was sensitize the State nodal officers of the importance of price data, to familiarize them with the methodology for price collection and to work out the plan for the ensuing capacity building workshops at the zonal/State level for price reporting centres.
In the inaugural address of the Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, Shri Rohit Kumar Singh appreciated all state representatives for the commendable job of collecting and reporting price data. He emphasized the importance of the price monitoring, quality of price data being reported and the way the data being used in various policy decisions. He informed the state nodal officers to focus on quality and regularity of the price data. It was also mentioned that having price data collection centers across all the districts in country would result in better representation of information.
The technical support for the upgradation of the PMD is being provided by Asian Development Bank. In the address by Shri Krishan Singh Rautela details of the support provided by ADB and importance of price monitoring for social protection was put in picture.
During the technical sessions, detailed discussions were conducted on price collection app, challenges in the collection process, tech enabled data visualization dashboards and detailed explanation about the policies were discussed with the state nodal officers.
The event concluded with interactions with state nodal officers by addressing their queries about the developments in the department, guidelines of price collection mechanism and developing a roadmap for conducting capacity building workshops in the states to build robust price collection mechanism. In concluding remarks, the economic advisor, Department of Consumer Affairs, Shri K Guite thanked the participants for their immense support and contribution in collection of prices from the collection centre highlighting the importance of the quality of data being reported.
28-Feb-2021: Monitoring and predictive analysis of prices of essential commodities take a giant step forward in India
Monitoring and predictive analysis of prices of essential commodities has taken a giant step forward in India Mobile App for price monitoring for 22 essential commodities launched by Department of Consumer Affairs starts providing effective real time information about retail and whole sale prices from 127 locations across the country.
To improve the quality of prices data for reporting daily prices by the price reporting centres, the Department of Consumer Affairs launched a Mobile App on 1st January, 2021.
The Department has also proposed to DEA for Technical Assistance Fund under CARES Programme of Asian Development Bank (ADB) for improving price monitoring and analysis. The activity components under the technical assistance are upgradation of price monitoring portal, capacity building for price reporting centres and price monitoring cell, identification of long-term improvements for food commodity supply chain & market efficiency. DEA has approved the proposal.
The Department of Consumer Affairs monitors the price of 22 essential commodities viz., rice, wheat, Atta (wheat), Gram Dal, Tur/Arhar Dal, Urad Dal, Moong Dal, Masoor Dal, Sugar, Milk, Groundnut oil, Mustard oil, Vanaspati, Soya oil, Sunflower oil, Palm oil, Gur, Tea, Salt, Potato, Onion and Tomato.
Daily report of retail and wholesale prices are obtained from 127 price reporting centres located in State Food & Civil Supplies Departments across the country. The daily report of prices and indicative price trends are analysed for taking appropriate decisions such as release of stocks from the buffer, export-import policy etc.
Price reporting through Mobile App ensures reporting from the market location as data are geo-tagged thereby displaying the location from where price data are reported.
Reporting of static data from office desktop is ruled out through the application of Mobile App. Therefore, the condition to operationalise Mobile App is that each Price Reporting Centre has to furnish market details such as names and addresses of the shops and markets from where prices are being collected daily.
As per the guidelines for retail price reporting, prices of the same variety of a commodity are to be collected from three markets, viz., High Income Market, Middle Income Market and Low Income Market, and the average of the three prices is to be reported. The Mobile App has inbuilt feature to calculate and report the average price. This helps in avoiding human errors in calculation.
Market information from Agmarknet, Agriwatch, NAFED and trade associations also constitute inputs for price analyses. The department is utilising the services of Agriwatch for providing market intelligence, predictive analysis of prices and to develop price forecasting model.
14-Sep-2022: Shri Narayan Rane chairs 18th meeting of National Board of MSME (NBMSME), stresses on the need to address the issue of delayed payments to Micro & Small Enterprises
Union Minister of MSME, Shri Narayan Rane, chaired the 18th meeting of the National Board of MSME (NBMSME) held today. Minister of State for MSME, Shri Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma, graced the occasion.
Shri Rane inaugurated the portal for the scheme for promotion of MSMEs in North East Region (NER) and Sikkim. The Minister launched the integration of Udyam and NCS portals, which was announced in Budget 2022. A Memorandum of Understanding was also signed between the Ministry of MSME and Common Service Centre in connection with Udyam Registration Portal.
During the Board meeting, the Minutes of the 17th meeting of National Board of MSME held on 23rd March, 2022 were confirmed. It was observed in the Action Taken Report that all recommendations of the 17th meeting had been taken up by the Ministry of MSME and appropriate action has been taken for proper resolution of the relevant issues.
Presiding over the meeting, Shri Narayan Rane assured that all the valuable suggestions made by the members during the meeting would be considered appropriately. He highlighted the contribution of the MSME sector in GDP, exports & employment. He stressed on the need to address the issue of delayed payments to Micro & Small Enterprises. Union Minister lauded the launch of the portal pertaining to NER and Sikkim for the promotion and development of MSMEs in the region. He also specifically mentioned the integration of the portal of Udyam with that of National Career Service (NCS) as an opportunity for the MSME sector to have access to the employable manpower database of NCS. Referring to the signing of MoU between Ministry of MSME and Common Service Centre, Shri Rane said it will expand the handholding support to enterprises residing in remote areas and help them to avail benefits of Government schemes and Priority Sector Lending.
Senior officers of Central and State Governments, office bearers of different industry associations, and other delegates also attended the meeting. On the occasion of National Hindi Diwas, Union Minister of MSME congratulated all the participants.