Latest news with #Bharatnet
The Print
02-07-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Digital India achievements: Scindia fires data salvo to counter Kharge on X
'Mr. @Kharge , let me offer a simple suggestion: try a basic web search for 'telecom scams in India.' What you'll find is a list featuring Congress/UPA-led crony capitalism at its best!' he said. Scindia suggested to Kharge to go check on the web for telecom scams in India which will show activities related to the UPA regime while the present regime is recognised with leadership in technology. New Delhi, Jul 1 (PTI) Union telecom minister Jyotiraditya Scindia unleashed a string of data, ranging from BSNL's consecutive profit after 18 years to connecting over 2 lakh gram panchayats with broadband, on social media platform X to counter claims of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on the Digital India programme. The minister said that at present when the world looks at India as a global leader in telecom, 5G, and satellite connectivity, it is the Modi government that made it possible, not by doing favours, but by doing reforms and 'undoing the mess of the Grand Old Party. 'The Congress' contribution to Digital India has been very clear which is to Scam India and leaving behind a legacy steeped in kleptocracy and institutionalised corruption,' Scindia said. Kharge had alleged that false claims have been made by the ruling government citing several instances, including coverage of villages aimed at under the Bharatnet project, abysmal performance of BSNL despite a financial package of over Rs 3 lakh crore, rise in cyber crimes, weakening of RTI by Data Protection Law in works. Countering Kharge's allegations, Scindia said that BharatNet is still ongoing and 2.12 lakh Gram Panchayats have already been connected compared to just 58 gram panchayats that were connected under the 10 years of the UPA regime. He said that when the UPA left office, BSNL was on critical life support — marred by the 2G scam, starved of investment, and systematically sabotaged. 'Today, thanks to targeted reforms and indigenous innovation under PM Modi's leadership, we revived Bharat's national telecom sovereignty. BSNL posted consecutive quarterly net profits, Rs 262 crore in the third quarter and Rs 280 crore in the fourth quarter of FY 2024–2025; first time after 2007 after 18 years!' the minister said. He said with operating profit growing to Rs 5,395 crore in FY2024-25, BSNL has deployed over 90,100 4G towers that are powered by Atmanirbhar Made-in-India technology. 'The Modi Government invested over Rs 3.2 lakh crore, not as a bailout, but to revive a critical national asset that your party nearly killed. Moreover, India has had the fastest rollout of 5G in the world, where we have connected 99 per cent districts and 82% of our population in 22 months! So, if someone says it's falling behind, perhaps their math, like their memory, is flawed,' Scindia said. The minister said through initiatives like Sanchar Saathi and ASTR, the Department of Telecom has taken strong action against cyber fraud — disconnecting over 3.5 crore numbers, blocking 4.22 crore fake SIMs, blocking 3.5 lakh mobile handsets and securing 34 lakh lost devices. Congress President alleged that as of June 26 2025, under the BharatNet project, a total of 6.55 lakh villages were supposed to be targeted for broadband connectivity but 4.53 lakh villages, about 65 per cent, are yet to be covered. 'The project's deadline has been revised at least 8 times in 11 years,' Kharge said. He said that when the private players are opting for 5G, BSNL has not yet completed its target of deploying 1 lakh 4G towers. 'Even after receiving three revival packages worth over Rs 3 lakh crore — Rs 69,000 crore in 2019, Rs 1.64 lakh crore in 2022, and Rs 89,047 crore in 2023, it still lags behind private players,' Kharge said. He said that BSNL's debt rose by 291.7 per cent from Rs 5,948 crore in March 2014 to Rs 23,297 crore in March 2024 and MTNL's debt increased by 136.2 per cent, from Rs 14,210 crore to Rs 33,568 crore over the same period. Congress President had alleged that 'RTI Act brought by the Congress party is being weakened by bringing a flawed Data Protection Law'. PTI PRS PRS MR This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
NDTV
02-07-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
"Try Basic Web Search": Jyotiraditya Scindia Jabs Mallikarjun Kharge Over Digital India
New Delhi: Union telecom minister Jyotiraditya Scindia unleashed a string of data, ranging from BSNL's consecutive profit after 18 years to connecting over 2 lakh gram panchayats with broadband, on social media platform X to counter claims of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on the Digital India programme. Mr Scindia suggested Mr Kharge to go check on the web for telecom scams in India which will show activities related to the UPA regime while the present regime is recognised with leadership in technology. "Mr. @Kharge , let me offer a simple suggestion: try a basic web search for "telecom scams in India". What you'll find is a list featuring Congress/UPA-led crony capitalism at its best!" he said. The minister said that at present when the world looks at India as a global leader in telecom, 5G, and satellite connectivity, it is the PM Modi government that made it possible, not by doing favours, but by doing reforms and "undoing the mess of the Grand Old Party. "The Congress' contribution to Digital India has been very clear which is to Scam India and leaving behind a legacy steeped in kleptocracy and institutionalised corruption," Mr Scindia said. Mr Kharge had alleged that false claims have been made by the ruling government citing several instances, including coverage of villages aimed at under the Bharatnet project, abysmal performance of BSNL despite a financial package of over Rs 3 lakh crore, rise in cyber crimes, weakening of RTI by Data Protection Law in works. Countering Mr Kharge's allegations, Mr Scindia said that BharatNet is still ongoing and 2.12 lakh Gram Panchayats have already been connected compared to just 58 gram panchayats that were connected under the 10 years of the UPA regime. He said that when the UPA left office, BSNL was on critical life support - marred by the 2G scam, starved of investment, and systematically sabotaged. "Today, thanks to targeted reforms and indigenous innovation under PM Modi's leadership, we revived Bharat's national telecom sovereignty. BSNL posted consecutive quarterly net profits, Rs 262 crore in the third quarter and Rs 280 crore in the fourth quarter of FY 2024-2025; first time after 2007 after 18 years!" the minister said. He said with operating profit growing to Rs 5,395 crore in FY2024-25, BSNL has deployed over 90,100 4G towers that are powered by Atmanirbhar Made-in-India technology. "The Modi Government invested over Rs 3.2 lakh crore, not as a bailout, but to revive a critical national asset that your party nearly killed. Moreover, India has had the fastest rollout of 5G in the world, where we have connected 99 per cent districts and 82% of our population in 22 months! So, if someone says it's falling behind, perhaps their math, like their memory, is flawed," Mr Scindia said. The minister said through initiatives like Sanchar Saathi and ASTR, the Department of Telecom has taken strong action against cyber fraud - disconnecting over 3.5 crore numbers, blocking 4.22 crore fake SIMs, blocking 3.5 lakh mobile handsets and securing 34 lakh lost devices. Congress President alleged that as of June 26 2025, under the BharatNet project, a total of 6.55 lakh villages were supposed to be targeted for broadband connectivity but 4.53 lakh villages, about 65 per cent, are yet to be covered. "The project's deadline has been revised at least 8 times in 11 years," Mr Kharge said. He said that when the private players are opting for 5G, BSNL has not yet completed its target of deploying 1 lakh 4G towers. "Even after receiving three revival packages worth over Rs 3 lakh crore - Rs 69,000 crore in 2019, Rs 1.64 lakh crore in 2022, and Rs 89,047 crore in 2023, it still lags behind private players," Mr Kharge said. He said that BSNL's debt rose by 291.7 per cent from Rs 5,948 crore in March 2014 to Rs 23,297 crore in March 2024 and MTNL's debt increased by 136.2 per cent, from Rs 14,210 crore to Rs 33,568 crore over the same period. Congress President had alleged that "RTI Act brought by the Congress party is being weakened by bringing a flawed Data Protection Law".
Entrepreneur
01-07-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
India Aims for 10% of Global 6G Patents by 2030: Dr Pemmasani
Currently, according to the minister, 95 per cent of rural areas in India have access to 4 G. India now has 1.2 billion mobile subscribers, being the second largest network in the world, with a billion people having access to broadband connectivity. The country also boasts the largest rural connectivity with 'Bharatnet', which covers close to 2.2 lakh villages. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. India is poised invest USD 18 billion to connect 40,000 gram panchayats, and the fund will also aim to bring close to 1.5 crore rural households into high-speed internet connectivity via subsidies said Dr Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, Minister of State for Communications, Govt of India while speaking at the India Mobile Congress 2025 Roadshow held in Bengaluru. Currently, according to the minister, 95 per cent of rural areas in India have access to 4G. Talking about the strides India has made in the telecom sector, Pemmasani said, "A decade ago, we used to have a lot of digital divide. Now, we have digital dominance. And the scale, the growth, it's just not a transformation. It's a transformative growth." India now has 1.2 billion mobile subscribers, being the second largest network in the world, with a billion people having access to broadband connectivity. The country also boasts the largest rural connectivity with 'Bharatnet', which covers close to 2.2 lakh villages. "We have rolled out the fastest 5G in the world. We have established 500 5G labs so the students, researchers, and startups can test real-world applications in some of the premier institutions. And we worked on indigenous 4G and 5G technology in combination with startups and government organizations like CDOT," said Pemmasani. Pemmasani also noted the fact that India is the second-largest phone manufacturer currently. "We used to import 75 per cent of the devices. But today, we are exporting close to 1.8 trillion rupees worth a year. Changing made for India to be made by India." When it comes to investments, the Indian government, with the introduction of the PLI Scheme, has made INR 4,000 crores of investments possible from the private organisations, which in turn generated INR 80,000 crores of revenue and 25,000 jobs. Pemmasani also noted that it is important for India to step up in terms of being at the forefront of the global 6G roll-out and said that at least 10 per cent of the patents for the new network technology to be from India by 2030. "We have missed the boat for 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G. Hopefully, at least 10% of the patents can be from India by 2030. So these are all our strategic priorities, but still India has to go a long way," said Pemmasani. Adding to the beyond 5G conversation was Satish Kanugovi, Head of APAC Standardization at Nokia, who said that a consortium-based approach is what's needed to propel things forward. "Consortium-based approach, with, of course, policy support from the government and industry, is really very important for us to succeed in this domain. This also requires a push and pull from all sides. We develop it for India, and then it is possible that if we get the scale here in India, it is also relevant for the world," said Kanugovi. Sonica Bajaj, KPMG, feels that while the country is making strides in a lot of areas, Indian innovation requires Indian understanding. "I think there is a strong need for collaboration of tech providers, OEMs like yourselves, and startups to kind of come together to solve these problems, (that are) unique problems.
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Business Standard
27-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Connectivity is a constitutional duty, not commodity: Scindia to telcos
Telecom service providers must rethink providing connectivity not as a commodity but as a constitutional commitment keeping in mind key factors like affordability, availability, accessibility with blazing data speeds, Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Tuesday. While speaking at an event organised by internet service providers body ISPAI and government-backed Nixi, the minister said five days ago India has moved from being the 5th largest economy in the world to become the 4th largest, and he takes pride in representing telecom which is growing at compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14 to 16 per cent as well as with the CAGR of 12-13 per cent in northeast. "You are the engineers of equity. You are the builders of bridges. And you are the keepers of the digital flame of India. Reimagine connectivity not necessarily as a commodity but a constitutional commitment," the minister said. He asked telecom operators and internet service providers (ISP) to follow six foundational pillars for connectivity, which are affordability, availability, accessibility, quality, safety and focus on emerging technologies such as AI and IoT. The minister said that in India, where 1 GB of data used to cost Rs 287, at present costs only about Rs 9. "At 11 cents, India is the cheapest data provider in the world today. The average global cost is USD 2.59," Scindia said. He said that if data is liquid gold or black oil, then India is the home of that liquid gold and black oil. "There is no reason why India should not be the data capital of the world. The prime minister has very clearly said that if this is India's century, and it truly is India's century, India has grown in one decade from the 11th largest economy in the world to the 5th largest economy in the world," the minister said. He asked internet service providers to leverage rural broadband project Bharatnet to expand connectivity across the country. The minister said that the National Broadband Mission with Rs 1,39,000 crore worth of investment is the largest governmental investment in the world that will provide a network to each and every village across the length and breadth of the country. "The prime minister has resolved that through NBM 2.0, we must connect every single village, but not only every single village, we must connect every single school. And we must connect every single hospital. Because it is our fiduciary responsibility," Scindia said. He said NBM 2.0 will ensure 95 per cent uptime of the broadband network and a minimum of 100 Mbps speed across the whole network.
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Reimagine connectivity not as commodity but as constitutional commitment: Union minister Jyotiraditya to telcos
Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia emphasized that telecom providers should view connectivity not just as a commodity, but as a constitutional commitment, focusing on affordability, availability, accessibility, quality, safety, and emerging technologies like AI and IoT. Speaking at an ISPAI and Nixi event, he highlighted India's rapid economic growth and telecom sector's strong CAGR, especially in the northeast. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Telecom service providers must rethink providing connectivity not as a commodity but as a constitutional commitment keeping in mind key factors like affordability, availability, accessibility with blazing data speeds, Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Tuesday. While speaking at an event organised by internet service providers body ISPAI and government-backed Nixi, the minister said five days ago India has moved from being the 5th largest economy in the world to become the 4th largest, and he takes pride in representing telecom which is growing at compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14 to 16 per cent as well as with the CAGR of 12-13 per cent in northeast."You are the engineers of equity. You are the builders of bridges. And you are the keepers of the digital flame of India. Reimagine connectivity not necessarily as a commodity but a constitutional commitment," the minister asked telecom operators and internet service providers (ISP) to follow six foundational pillars for connectivity, which are affordability, availability, accessibility, quality, safety and focus on emerging technologies such as AI and minister said that in India, where 1 GB of data used to cost Rs 287, at present costs only about Rs 9."At 11 cents, India is the cheapest data provider in the world today. The average global cost is USD 2.59," Scindia said that if data is liquid gold or black oil, then India is the home of that liquid gold and black oil."There is no reason why India should not be the data capital of the world. The prime minister has very clearly said that if this is India's century, and it truly is India's century, India has grown in one decade from the 11th largest economy in the world to the 5th largest economy in the world," the minister asked internet service providers to leverage rural broadband project Bharatnet to expand connectivity across the minister said that the National Broadband Mission with Rs 1,39,000 crore worth of investment is the largest governmental investment in the world that will provide a network to each and every village across the length and breadth of the country."The prime minister has resolved that through NBM 2.0, we must connect every single village, but not only every single village, we must connect every single school. And we must connect every single hospital. Because it is our fiduciary responsibility," Scindia said NBM 2.0 will ensure 95 per cent uptime of the broadband network and a minimum of 100 Mbps speed across the whole network.
