Latest news with #NorthEastInvestmentSummit
Time of India
07-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
‘Govt looking to redevelop some post offices for leasing': Jyotiraditya Scindia
Jyotiraditya Scindia You have spent a year with the current portfolios in the current Modi dispensation. There was focus on the North-East. How do you view the progress during your tenure in the ministry? ■ PM has identified the North-East as the area with maximum focus. Since Independence, it was consistently neglected. PM has changed the paradigm and decided to make the North-East the growth engine of our development paradigm. Over the last 11 years, he has himself visited the North-East more than 70 times, which is more than all PMs together in the previous 65 years. He has ensured that the Cabinet continuously keeps in touch with the grassroots of the NorthEast. Cabinet ministers have visited the NorthEast over 700 times. Around Rs 5 lakh crore is being invested in plug and play infrastructure. There is a massive build-up in road, railway and airport infrastructure. Private companies are putting in investment. At the NorthEast Investment Summit, they committed to invest Rs 4.2 lakh crore, and I am not counting investments such as the Rs 27,000 crore for a semiconductor facility being set up by the Tata Group in Assam. How far have you expanded the 5G coverage? ■ There has been a phenomenal change. PM had the foresight and capability to not only assess the revolution that was coming but also ensure that India leads it. It is evident from the rise in subscribers, the cost has come down for consumers. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Providers are furious: Internet access without a subscription! Techno Mag Learn More Undo India can become the data capital of the world. We have the fastest 5G rollout with 99.6% of the districts now covered and 82% population. We have built our own 4G stack. BSNL has installed 94,500 towers and 80-85% are commissioned. We are working towards leading the world on 6G. BSNL is seen as the next Air India. What is being done to ensure that it remains financially viable and a relevant player in the market? ■ After 18 years BSNL has done a turnaround, posting a quarterly profit for the first time since 2007. In the Dec quarter, it posted a profit of Rs 262 crore and in the March quarter, the profit was Rs 280 crore. For the full year, losses have come down 55% to Rs 2,415 crores; operating profit has more than doubled to Rs 5,395 crore. It has done the largest capex, of Rs 25,000 crore in FY25, which will be amortized over 10 years. It has rolled out 4G. We have grown our customer base, focusing on all areas and all segments. You spoke about avoiding duopolies… ■ India is not a duopoly. We are the only few markets in the world with four players. My responsibility as the minister is to ensure that customers have choice, whether it's internet or telecom. Vodafone Idea is very fragile. Is there a plan for fresh support? ■ There will be no more conversion of equity. It's the company's management to look at their business strategy, profitability, just as the BSNL management. You have a plan to make the postal department a profit centre. Is it really possible? ■ We have undertaken a business process reengineering and converted the department into six verticals and four horizontals looking at mail, international mail, parcels, Postal Life Insurance, post office savings bank and citizen centric services. Every transaction now has a cost structure and we are mapping the revenue. We are looking at six strategic business units with profit and loss for each. We are then determining the path to profitability for each of them. We are working on IT 2.0 and for the first time we have hired a chief technology officer with deputy CTOs for each vertical. I look at it turning into a logistics organization with a huge reach of 1.6 lakh crore post offices. The restructuring and capex by govt will hopefully turn it into a profit centre in five years. Today, our cost structure is Rs 27,000 crore and revenue is around Rs 12,000 crore. How do you take on competition from couriers? ■ No one has the breadth and depth of India Post, even internationally. The point is how much can you push through this pipe and increase different products. We are now providing governmental services such as Aadhaar and passport. We are bringing new mail and parcel products; we will deliver within 24 hours. We are approaching mutual funds to distribute their products. There must be a mindset change and for that I am meeting the ground level staff. Is there a plan to monetise prime real estate? ■ Whether it's telecom or department of posts, we must sweat our assets. Therefore, if you have a large piece of land, you can have the post office on the ground floor and build the whole building and lease out space. First thing we are doing is understanding how many properties do we have, we are checking where are the title papers, the mutation details and identifying the major potential properties before we get a developer. What is the department doing to improve the telecom services? ■ Improving the quality of service (QoS) is one of my top priorities. Trai monitors performance, issues showcause notices, and imposes penalties for non-compliance. New regulations introduced in Aug mandate Six Sigma practices and graded penalties for repeated lapses. In coordination with service providers, new sites are being added and existing infrastructure upgraded to boost internet speed and reduce congestion.
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Tripura govt keen to develop infra to support AI, 5G network
Tripura chief minister Manik Saha said his government has been developing dedicated infrastructure to support AI and the 5G network in the state. Saha said that while 5G can transmit information quickly, AI minimises operational complexity by using efficient algorithms to automate a wide range of processes, resulting in more speed, efficiency, and cost savings. He said the government has allocated land for data centres that will serve as a hub for the entire eastern and northeastern region of the country. "Today, I am honoured to speak about the transformative power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and 5G in the northeastern region, including my state, Tripura. As we gather at the North East Investment Summit, I would like to congratulate the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) for organising this important event," he said. He was speaking at a session - IT for Ashtalakshmi: Beyond the Bits and Bytes, Into AI and 5G - during the Rising Northeast Investors' Summit-2025 in New Delhi on Friday. Saha said, "It is a symbiotic relationship between 5G and AI. As AI expands, the cost of connectivity continues to decline. The convergence of 5G and AI is not just about speed, it is going to cater to the demands of next-generation activities." Live Events The powerful combination of 5G and AI means greater innovation opportunities and some very interesting applications, he said. Discover the stories of your interest Blockchain 5 Stories Cyber-safety 7 Stories Fintech 9 Stories E-comm 9 Stories ML 8 Stories Edtech 6 Stories "Deploying AI applications with the development of 5G will bring opportunities across various industries and sectors," the CM said, adding that by embracing AI and 5G, people can unlock new avenues for growth, innovation, and prosperity. He said the state has made significant progress in 5G deployment, with all towns and 583 villages already connected with such a network. The chief minister said the state has implemented paperless administration, reducing the time required to dispose of files from nine days to three days, and saving over Rs 50 crore per year. "As we move forward, we plan to leverage AI and 5G to drive growth, innovation, and prosperity across all northeastern states, including introducing single-window digital platforms", he added.
The Print
24-05-2025
- Business
- The Print
Tripura govt keen to develop infra to support AI, 5G network
He said the government has allocated land for data centres that will serve as a hub for the entire eastern and northeastern region of the country. Saha said that while 5G can transmit information quickly, AI minimises operational complexity by using efficient algorithms to automate a wide range of processes, resulting in more speed, efficiency, and cost savings. Agartala, May 24 (PTI) Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha said his government has been developing dedicated infrastructure to support AI and the 5G network in the state. 'Today, I am honoured to speak about the transformative power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and 5G in the northeastern region, including my state, Tripura. As we gather at the North East Investment Summit, I would like to congratulate the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) for organising this important event,' he said. He was speaking at a session – IT for Ashtalakshmi: Beyond the Bits and Bytes, Into AI and 5G – during the Rising Northeast Investors' Summit-2025 in New Delhi on Friday. Saha said, 'It is a symbiotic relationship between 5G and AI. As AI expands, the cost of connectivity continues to decline. The convergence of 5G and AI is not just about speed, it is going to cater to the demands of next-generation activities.' The powerful combination of 5G and AI means greater innovation opportunities and some very interesting applications, he said. 'Deploying AI applications with the development of 5G will bring opportunities across various industries and sectors,' the CM said, adding that by embracing AI and 5G, people can unlock new avenues for growth, innovation, and prosperity. He said the state has made significant progress in 5G deployment, with all towns and 583 villages already connected with such a network. The chief minister said the state has implemented paperless administration, reducing the time required to dispose of files from nine days to three days, and saving over Rs 50 crore per year. 'As we move forward, we plan to leverage AI and 5G to drive growth, innovation, and prosperity across all northeastern states, including introducing single-window digital platforms', he added. PTI PS BDC This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
India Gazette
24-05-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
Tripura attracts Rs 15,646 crore investment at Rising Northeast Investors Summit 2025: CM Manik Saha
New Delhi [India], May 24 (ANI): In a landmark development for Tripura's economic landscape, the state has attracted a staggering Rs 15,646 crore in investments at the Rising Northeast Investors Summit 2025 held in New Delhi, a press release from Tripura CMO said. Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha announced the achievement, describing it as a significant step towards the state's accelerated growth and transformation. Manik Saha highlighted the state's potential and said, 'The summit's interactions were vibrant and promising. Investors showed keen interest in Tripura, particularly in emerging sectors such as technology, 5G, and artificial intelligence (AI).' He noted that the Tripura Investors Pavilion was a hub of activity, drawing enthusiastic responses from industry leaders and business stakeholders. The summit facilitated 33 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), attracted investments worth Rs 15,646 crores through this flagship event. 'Through these MoUs, we have secured Rs 15,646 crore in investments. This is not just a number--it reflects a deep belief in Tripura's future,' said the Chief Minister. Dr. Saha appealed to the business community by reaffirming his government's commitment to creating an investor-friendly environment: 'Let us unlock new opportunities and drive inclusive growth together. Tripura is open for partnerships, and we are fully committed to supporting investors every step of the way.' Earlier, the Tripura CM announced that the state government is developing dedicated infrastructure to support AI and 5G development. This session was titled 'IT for Ashtalakshmi: Beyond the Bits and Bytes, Into AI and 5G.' He also announced that the Government of Tripura has allocated land for data centres, including one for Airtel in Agartala. This hub will serve the entire eastern and northeastern region of India. 'As Ashtalakshmi, these eight states--the easterners--are gifted with natural beauty and abundant resources. They truly represent Goddess Lakshmi, embodying multifaceted blessings of wealth, knowledge, strength, and prosperity. Today, I am honoured to speak about the transformative power of Artificial Intelligence and 5G in the northeastern region, including my state, Tripura. As we gather at the North East Investment Summit, I would like to congratulate the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region for organising this important event,' he said. (ANI)
India Gazette
24-05-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
Tripura government developing infrastructure to support AI and 5G development: CM Manik Saha
New Delhi [India], May 24 (ANI): Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha announced that the state government is developing dedicated infrastructure to support AI and 5G development, as per a press release by the Tripura CMO. Manik Saha said this while speaking at the Rising Northeast Investors Summit 2025 in New Delhi on Friday. The session was titled 'IT for Ashtalakshmi: Beyond the Bits and Bytes, Into AI and 5G.' The Tripura CM announced that the Government of Tripura has allocated land for data centres, including one for Airtel, which will serve as a hub for the entire eastern and northeastern region of India, located in Agartala. 'As Ashtalakshmi, these eight states--the easterners--are gifted with natural beauty and abundant resources. They truly represent Goddess Lakshmi, the embodiment of multifaceted blessings of wealth, knowledge, strength, and prosperity. Today, I am honoured to speak about the transformative power of Artificial Intelligence and 5G in the northeastern region, including my state, Tripura. As we gather at the North East Investment Summit, I would like to congratulate the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region for organising this important event', Manik Saha said during the event. Saha said that while 5G can transmit information quickly and with low latency, AI minimises operational complexity by using efficient algorithms to automate a wide range of processes, resulting in more speed, efficiency, and cost savings. 'It is a symbiotic relationship between 5G and AI. As AI expands, the cost of connectivity continues to decline. The convergence of 5G and AI is not just about speed--it is going to cater to the demands of next-generation activities. The powerful combination of 5G and AI means greater innovation opportunities and some very interesting applications. Deploying AI applications at the edge with 5G brings opportunities across various industries and sectors', he added. The Chief Minister stated that by embracing AI and 5G, people can unlock new avenues for growth, innovation, and prosperity. He also announced that Tripura has made significant progress in 5G deployment, with all towns and 583 villages already connected. 'Tripura has also framed policies to support telecommunication. The state has framed policies to support telecom infrastructure development, including the Information Technology Policy 2022 and Data Centre Policy 2021. The Government of Tripura has allocated land for data centres, including one for Airtel, which will serve the entire eastern and northeastern region of India, located in Agartala,' he said. He informed that recently, the Government of Tripura organised a workshop on AI for Good Governance, aimed at driving transparency, efficiency, and impact, in collaboration with the National e-Governance Division and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India. 'The state of Tripura has implemented paperless administration, reducing the time required to dispose of files from nine days to three days, and saving over Rs. 50 crore per year. This digital transformation has enhanced transparency, efficiency, and accountability in our administration. As we move forward, we plan to leverage AI and 5G to drive growth, innovation, and prosperity across all northeastern states, including introducing single-window digital platforms to simplify access to public services through a digital interface and launching department-specific AI pilot projects to demonstrate the potential of AI in various departments', Manik Saha said. (ANI)
