Telecom Commission, the highest decision-making body in the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), is expected to meet on Friday and take up the National Digital Communications Policy (NDCP), which charts the road map for development of the telecom and digital space.
Sources said the meeting of the Telecom Commission will review the NDCP among other issues including some additions to the public Wi-Fi project by the DoT.
The government released a draft of the national telecom policy on May 3, after which it was put in the public domain for feedback. After the policy is approved by the Telecom Commission, it will be placed before the Union Cabinet for approval.
Following this, the government will table the NDCP before Parliament in the monsoon session, which is scheduled to commence from July 18.
From providing a minimum download speed of 50 Mbps and enabling 10 Gbps connectivity to all gram panchayats to attracting $100-billion investment in digital communications by 2022, the DoT has envisaged a very ambitious road map under the NDCP.
The policy spells the government’s strategic objectives as broadband for all, creating 4 million in digital communications and increasing the sector’s contribution in the GDP to 8% from around 6% last year, by 2022.
To achieve these objectives, the government will not only have to encourage the private sector to invest in new technologies, but will also have to take a holistic view of policies and processes.
Accordingly, the NDCP 2018 calls for a review of existing licensing, regulatory and resource allocation frameworks so as to incentivise investment and innovation.
