New Telecom Policy gets Cabinet nod, aims to attract $100-billion investment

The Cabinet on Wednesday approved the new telecom policy that aims to attract a $100-billion investment and create four million jobs in the telecom sector by 2022. “The Cabinet has cleared National Digital Communications Policy (NDCP) 2018,” an official source told PTI.

According to the draft, the NDCP is focused on increasing high-speed broadband penetration, with use of modern technologies like 5G and optical fibres across the country at affordable rates.

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The draft promised to rationalise levies such as spectrum charges to rejuvenate debt-ridden telecom sector, the proposed new telecom policy seeks to provide broadband access to all with 50 megabit per second speed, 5G services and create 40 lakh new jobs by 2022.

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It included provisions to adopt “Optimal Pricing of Spectrum” to ensure sustainable and affordable access to digital communications. High spectrum price and related charges have been main concern of telecom services segment, which is reeling under a debt of around Rs 7.8 lakh crore.