Minister of Communications, Electronics and Information Technology and Railways, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw said there is a need to consciously shift the mindset of ministry officials from regulatory to developmental with the common goals of bringing connectivity to every household in the country and improving the quality of coverage. He addressed a two-day conference of field officers, department directors and industry representatives here yesterday. The conference was inaugurated by the Minister of State for Communications Shri Devusinh Chauhan in the morning session and the findings and recommendations of the Joint Stakeholder Working Groups on various topical issues related to the telecom sector were presented to the Minister of State for Communications Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw and the Minister of State for Communications in the afternoon session.
Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted the importance of quality telecom connectivity for universal digital inclusion, especially in the context of the digital economy. Only collaboration between the department’s field and headquarters officers and with industry and academia could move the telecom sector forward with the changing nature of technology, he said. The need for a robust and future-proof telecom legislation to replace the existing old telecom laws and that a draft in this regard would soon be released for consultation/feedback, he added.
Previously; while inaugurating the conference Shri Devusinh Chauhan also highlighted the role of Telecom in the country’s progress towards a 5 trillion economy. He commended the ministry and all stakeholders for the successful recent 5G auction and other telecom reforms and hoped that the conference would bring actionable ideas and solutions to move the telecom growth story forward. The conference will also continue on September 15, 2022 with targeted group discussions and presentations on relevant topics in the telecommunications sector.