Govt-industry partnership to boost $100 billion investment by 2022: Aruna Sundararajan

Telecom Secretary Aruna Sundararajan on Thursday said that industry-government alliance could help country to attract investment worth $100 billion by 2022. Sundararajan was speaking at the inaugural session of the three-day India Mobile Congress 2018.

“It is estimated that India will require $100 billion of investment by 2022, and we are working towards it. Central to it is a robust partnership between the government and industry,” the top official said, adding that the National Digital Communication Policy 2018 approved by the Union Cabinet would lay a strong sectoral foundation.

“The policy seeks to propel India to digital leadership and dividends,” she added.

The new policy unveiled by the NDA government seeks to pump in $100 billion of investment over the next four years and create four million new jobs. The department also recognised industry’s long-standing demands.

“We are cognisant that much needs to be done in the areas of rationalisation of levies, more quantum of spectrum, creating Intellectual Proprietary Rights and removing manufacturing bottlenecks,” Sundararajan said.

The government, according to her, aims India to become a $1 trillion economy in next five years. The department, she said, has taken numerous steps that had led to key reform in the sector.

These include doubling of infrastructure including fiber and base transreceiver stations, declaring universal RoW policy, allowing 650 MHz of spectrum for Wi-Fi services, Public Data Office (PDO) framework, removal of cascading taxation from MVNO regime.

The country, according to Sundararajan, has pioneered in digital technology and India would be happy to share the learnings with the rest of the world.

“India has unprecedented data growth with 2000% growth over last year,” the top official said, adding that the country has emerged as the fastest growing digital society, whether it is social media, digital delivery of services or digital banking.

For the first time, three government departments – Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Electronics and IT and Department of Science and Technology are coming together to forge a common strategy to harness fifth-generation (5G) technology, the official said.

“Four years ago Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Digital India where digital technology unleashed the true potential of people,” Sundarajan said, and added that India has grown to a largest telecom market worldwide.