National Digital Communications Policy 2018 – Draft version
May 6 , 2018 2314 days 792 0
The government released the draft of new telecom policy - National Digital Communications Policy 2018 - with an aim to provide access of broadband with 50 megabits per second to every citizen, attract $100 billion investment in the sector and create 40 lakh jobs by 2022.
The policy Calls for Universal broadband coverage, creating four million additional jobs in the digital communications sector, enhancing the contribution of digital communications sector to 8% of India’s GDP from around 6% in 2017, enhancing India’s contribution to global value chains and ensuring digital sovereignty.
It also aims to propel India’s rank in ICT development index (published by ITU) to top 50, from 134 in 2017.
The policy further aims to pursue regulatory reforms to ensure that the regulatory structures and processes remain relevant, transparent, accountable and forward-looking. Additionally, the policy aims to remove regulatory barriers and reduce the regulatory burden that hampers investments, innovation and consumer interest
The draft also proposes to address woes of debt-ridden telecom sector by reviewing license fees, spectrum usage charges, the universal service obligation fund levy for enhancing ease of doing business.
The draft policy proposed to rationalize taxes and levies on digital communications equipment, infrastructure, and