Govt expects billions of dollars investments in the digital show
The Government on Saturday said that the long-pending controversial issue of net neutrality would soon come out with its report and the telecom department is waiting for the report from sectoral regulator Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). Meanwhile, the Government is expecting investments to the tune of billions of dollars during the Digital India week which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 1.
“Report of net neutrality will be out very soon but we are waiting for TRAI report on the issue. As far as digital movement is concerned, we hope there would be billions of dollar investment during Digital India week,” Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters here while briefing about the Digital India week.
For net neutrality, the telecom department, which had set up a panel to look into the issue, submitted its report to Prasad earlier this month. Net neutrality implies equal treatment be accorded to all internet traffic and no priority should be given to any person or entity or company based on payment, which is seen as discriminatory.
Apart from the six-member committee appointed in January this year by DoT, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had also invited stakeholders’ comments on issues such as net neutrality and regulation of OTT services like WhatsApp and Skype.
The regulatory received over 10 lakh comments. In the meantime tenure of the then TRAI Chairman Rahul Khullar ended and the new head is yet to be appointed. “Announcement (of new TRAI Chairman) will be made very soon,” Prasad said.
For Digital India week, the Government, however, is expecting investments to the tune of billions of dollars during the show which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 1. The Pioneer had first reported about the Digital India week and the Government's plan of action on July 1.
Confirming the Government’s plan of action, Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, however, said, “As per estimates are concerned, we expect billions of dollars investment in Digital India week.”
Announcing details of the event, he said, “Business leaders like Airbus India CEO Peter Gutsmiedl, RIl Chairman and MD Mukesh Ambani, Tata Group Chairman Cyrus Mistry, Bharti Enterprises Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal, Wipro Chairman Azim Premji, Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani, Sterlite Technologies Chairman Anil Agarwal, Adiya Birla Group Chairman Kumaramangalam Birla have confirmed their participation in the programme.”
Foreign company Nidec Corporation’s Vice Chairman Mikio Katayama, Delta Electronics CEO Ping Cheng have also confirmed their participation in the programme.Modi will present the Government's roadmap for digitising India at the event that is expected to be attended by 10,000 guests. The Prime Minister will also unveil various government schemes under the Digital India programme like Digital locker, e-eduction and e-health during the event.
last year, the Government had approved the programme comprising various projects worth over Rs1 lakh crore to transform the country into a digitally empowered knowledge economy.Prasad added that the ministry also reached out to Microsoft's Bill Gates and Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella along with Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy, but they will not be able to attend due to other engagements.
“We have invited people from the field of technology, people working for common service centres, students and IT ministers from across the country. The huge crowd that we expect to be there will be a miniature representation of technical empowerment of people,” Prasad said.