ICT connectivity key for Digital India: MoS for Communications

ICT connectivity is a key factor for a diverse country like India for creating an inclusive society and fostering holistic development,” said Mr Manoj Sinha, Minister of State for Communications and Railways, Government of India, at a Conference on “Building ICT - Infrastructure: Connect the Unconnected” held on 18 April 2017 in New Delhi.

The Minister emphasised the government’s commitment for creating a strong ICT infrastructure and bridging the digital divide in rural and urban India. He outlined conducive policy and administrative measures including facilitation of spectrum sharing and trading, Right of Way (RoW) policy, creating optic fibre networks, mobile infrastructure and shared mobile towers. He also mentioned the need for deploying eco-friendly infrastructure and using renewable energy for sustainable growth and development of this sector. He urged the telecom industry for the upgradation of mobile networks.

RS Sharma, Chairman, TRAI, said that India has reached unforeseen benchmarks in many areas of technology like software and Aadhaar. A new thrust has been laid upon transforming India into a digital economy and a cashless society. All these call for robust base infrastructure on which transformative, newer initiatives can ride.