Lok Sabha Question No. 2369 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-26
Subject: National Frequency Allocation Plan
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: SHOBHA KARANDLAJE, PRATHAP SIMHA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2369 TO BE ANSWERED ON 26 TH  DECEMBER, 2018

## NATIONAL FREQUENCY ALLOCATION PLAN

2369.  KUMARI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE: SHRI PRATHAP SIMHA:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  unveiled  the  National  Frequency  Allocation  Plan 2018 (NFAP) recently and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  finalised  National  Digital  Communication  Policy 2018  (NDCP-2018) and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  including  its  objectives  and  the  key features;
- (c) whether the Government aims to provide universal broadband connectivity at 50 Mbps to  every  citizen  by  2020  and  if  so,  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  in  this regard; and
- (d) the steps taken by the Government to establish a comprehensive data protection for  digital  communications  that  safeguards  the  privacy,  autonomy  and  choice  of individuals ?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS & MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI MANOJ SINHA)

(a) Yes Madam. The Government has unveiled National Frequency Allocation Plan 2018 which contains the allocation of radio spectrum for radio communication services and provision for Short Range devices and Ultra-Wideband devices. It is published on DoT website http://www.dot.gov.in/whatsnew/national-frequency-allocation-plan-2018

- (b) & (c) The National Digital Communications Policy 2018 has been notified in the Gazette of India vide number 2-14/2018-Policy -I.(Pt-I) dated the 22nd October, 2018 with a vision to support India's transition to a digitally empowered economy and society by  fulfilling  the  information  and  communications  needs  of  citizens  and  enterprises  by establishment of a ubiquitous, resilient and affordable Digital Communications Infrastructure and Services.

The key objectives of the policy are provisioning of Broadband for all; creating 4 Million additional jobs in the Digital Communications sector; enhancing the contribution of  the  Digital  Communications sector to 8% of India's GDP from approximately 6% in 2017; propelling India to the Top 50 Nations in the ICT Development Index of ITU from 134 in 2017; enhancing India's contribution to Global Value Chains; and ensuring Digital Sovereignty. These objectives are to be achieved by 2022.

The  policy,  inter-alia,  aims  to  provide  universal  broadband  connectivity  at 50Mbps to every citizen; provide 1 Gbps connectivity to all Gram Panchayats of India by 2020  and  10  Gbps  by  2022;  ensure  connectivity  to  all  uncovered  areas;  attract investments  of  USD  100  Billion  in  the  Digital  Communications  Sector;  train  1  Million manpower  for  building  New  Age  Skill;  expand  IoT  ecosystem  to  5  Billion  connected devices; establish a comprehensive data protection regime for digital communications that safeguards the privacy, autonomy and choice of individuals and facilitates India's effective participation in the global digital economy; and enforce accountability through appropriate  institutional  mechanisms  to  assure  citizens  of  safe  and  secure  digital communications infrastructure and services.

(d) Unified license conditions of DOT mandates for the Licensee to take necessary steps  to  ensure  that  the  Licensee  and  any  person(s)  acting  on  its  behalf  observe confidentiality  of  customer  information.  It  also  mandates  the  licensee  to  ensure protection  of  privacy  of  communication  and  ensure  that  unauthorized  interception  of messages does not take place.

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