Lok Sabha Question No. 4787 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-29
Subject: PLI Scheme
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Sougata Ray

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4787 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29 TH   MARCH, 2023

## PLI SCHEME

## 4787.   PROF. SOUGATA RAY:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for the manufacturing of telecom and networking products in the country since the last four years;
- (b) the details of the structural and procedural reforms that have been brought in to enhance liquidity and minimise financial stress within the telecom sector;
- (c) the details of the steps taken to cover Gram Panchayats (GPs) under the BharatNet Project;
- (d) the number of GPs covered under BharatNet Project, State-wise; and
- (e) whether entire country has been covered under Prime Minister Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (PMWANI), if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS (SHRI DEVUSINH CHAUHAN)

- (a) PLI  Scheme  for  telecom  and  networking  products  notified  on  24.02.  2021  by  Department  of Telecommunications is effective from 01.04.2021. The total outlay of the Scheme is Rs.12,195 crore. In order to  facilitate  design-led  manufacturing under the PLI Scheme, amendments were made in the PLI Scheme Guidelines  with  effect  from  01.04.2022.  Approval  granted  to  42  companies,  out  of  which  17  companies covered under design-led manufacturing criteria. As on February 28, 2023 (starting from 01.04.2021) as per the figures submitted by the companies, there is investment of Rs.1,581 crore, sales of Rs.22,287 crore and employment of 12,047 number.
- (b) These  telecom  sector  reforms  include  Rationalization  of  definition  of  Adjusted  Gross  Revenue; Rationalization  of  Bank  Guarantees(BGs);  Rationalization  of  interest  rates  and  removal  of  penalties; Dispensing with the requirement of BGs to secure instalment payments against the spectrum acquired through auction; Permission for surrender of spectrum after 10 years; Dispensing with the requirement of Spectrum Usage Charge (SUC) for spectrum acquired in spectrum auctions; Removal of additional SUC of 0.5% for spectrum sharing; Permission for 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in telecom sector under automatic route subject to safeguards; and Addressing liquidity requirements of the Telecom Service Providers by way of moratorium/deferment.
- (c) & (d) As of February 2023, there are 1,89,256 GPs made service ready. The State / Union Territorywise details are given in Annexure-I. In order to cover Gram Panchayats (GPs) under the BharatNet Project following steps have inter-alia been taken:
- (i) Strict monitoring of the project at various levels by Universal Service Obligation Fund, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited / Bharat Broadband Network Limited with implementing Agencies for speedy roll out of the project.
- (ii) Resolving all pending issues in expeditious manner.
- (iii) Revised strategy for covering all GPs.

(e) PM-WANI framework aims to accelerate proliferation of internet services by setting up public Wi-Fi Access points in the country. As on 21-03-2023, 1,47,825 Wi-Fi hotspots have been deployed under PMWANI framework.

## Annexure - I

## LoK Sabha Unstarred Q. No. 4787 on PLI Scheme to be answered on 29 th March, 2023

## State/Union Territory -wise details of GPs Made Service Ready as of February 2023

| S. No.   | States/UTs          | No. of GPs made Service Ready   |
|----------|---------------------|---------------------------------|
| 1        | Assam               | 1,511                           |
| 2        | Bihar               | 8,316                           |
| 3        | Chhattisgarh        | 9,552                           |
| 4        | Haryana             | 6,082                           |
| 5        | Jammu& Kashmir      | 1,092                           |
| 6        | Karnataka           | 6,084                           |
| 7        | Kerala              | 978                             |
| 8        | Madhya Pradesh      | 17,813                          |
| 9        | Maharashtra         | 23,830                          |
| 10       | Punjab              | 12,668                          |
| 11       | Rajasthan           | 8,770                           |
| 12       | Uttar Pradesh       | 41,512                          |
| 13       | Uttarakhand         | 1,824                           |
| 14       | West Bengal         | 2,564                           |
| 15       | Sikkim              | 35                              |
| 16       | Chandigarh          | 12                              |
| 17       | Lakshadweep         | 9                               |
| 18       | Arunachal Pradesh   | 964                             |
| 19       | Nagaland            | 232                             |
| 20       | Manipur             | 1,467                           |
| 21       | Mizoram             | 452                             |
| 22       | Tripura             | 729                             |
| 23       | Meghalaya           | 682                             |
| 24       | Gujarat             | 14,230                          |
| 25       | Daman & Diu         | 18                              |
| 26       | Dadra& Nagar Haveli | 20                              |
| 27       | Puducherry          | 98                              |
| 28       | Andhra Pradesh      | 5,206                           |
| 29       | Telangana           | 9,149                           |
| 30       | Odisha              | 6,782                           |
| 31       | Jharkhand           | 4,354                           |
| 32       | Himachal Pradesh    | 408                             |
| 33       | Ladakh              | 192                             |
| 34       | Goa                 | 0                               |
| 35       | Tamil Nadu          | 1,553                           |
| 37       | Andaman & Nicobar   | 68                              |
|          | Total               | 1,89,256                        |

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