Lok Sabha Question No. 2769 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-20
Subject: Time Dissemination Project
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Kuruva Gorantla Madhav

## Government of India

## Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Department of Consumer Affairs

LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2769

TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.12.2023

## TIME DISSEMINATION PROJECT

2769. SHRI KURUVA GORANTLA MADHAV:

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) the reasons for delay in the establishment of the Time Dissemination Project, considering its impact on 57 societal, industrial and international trade as well as on national security and cyber crimes; and
- (b) the steps taken by the Government to expedite the process and ensure swift finalization of the Project?

## ANSWER

## miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k jkT; ea=h ( श्री अश्विनी कु मार चौबे )

## THE MINISTER OF STATE CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a)     :       Precise time is essential for country's strategic and non-strategic sectors. Considering the importance of  dissemination  of  Indian  Standard  Time  (IST),  the  project  has  been  undertaken  by  the  Department  of Consumer  Affairs  in  association  with  National  Physical  Laboratory  (NPL)  and  Indian  Space  Research Organization (ISRO). The project aims to create technology and infrastructure to disseminate IST from five different locations across India to all the telecom operators, power grids, financial institutions, data centres, common citizens etc.  These locations are the Regional Reference Standard Laboratories of this Department at Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Faridabad and Guwahati.

ISRO  is  supporting  NPL  and  this  Department  towards  the  technical  aspects  of  the  Time Dissemination  Project  viz.  system  level  design  of  architecture  of  the  time  dissemination  solution  and  for technical evaluation of the bids received against the various tenders floated by NPL.

NPL  is  responsible  for  design  development,  procurement  and  installation  of  highly  sophisticated timing instrument for the project.  The project has been intricately intertwined with a series of government interventions,  reviews  and  official  extensions,  aligning  with  established  rules,  guidelines,  and  processes. Various factors, each addressed in accordance with government directives, have contributed to the project's timeline.

Factors responsible for establishing the timing centres and dissemination of Indian Standard Time are:

- (1)              Precision & stability :  Developing a robust time dissemination system involves dealing with technical complexities, such as precision in timekeeping, synchronization across diverse systems and maintaining consistency.  The project needs robust security measures and protocols.
- (2)             Coordination with Stakeholders : Coordinating with government agencies, industries and other stakeholders is crucial.
- (3)             Emerging Technologies and Research : The latest advancements in technology in timekeeping and  dissemination  methods  needs  to  be  incorporated  in  the  system  to  be  established  in  the country.
- (4)             Challenges in International Procurement : Acknowledging the scarcity of critical components in  the  international  market,  coupled  with  uncertainties  due  to  Covid-19  and  geopolitical situations, the project team of NPL and ISRO navigated the complexities of international stateof-the-art procurement.
- (5)              Strategic  Importance :  The  strategic  importance  of  accurate  time  dissemination  for  various sectors, intensifies the scrutiny and complexity of the project, leading to delays.

The  project's  timeline  has  been  intricately  managed  in  accordance  with  government  mandates, complex specification and procurement processes, global economic challenges and the unprecedented impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.  However, efforts are being made to mitigate the challenges to ensure the successful completion of this critical national project.

(b)   :         Government  has  taken  various  proactive  measures  to  expedite  the  Time  Dissemination  Project, ensuring a swift finalization such as:

- (1)           Completion of Civil Work at RRSL, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Faridabad and Guwahati
- (2)           Strategic Decision Making and Collaboration with ISRO
- (3)           Efficient Procurement Management through NPL in association with ISRO
- (4)           Monthly meetings with all stake holders under the chairmanship of Secretary (Consumer Affairs)
- (5)           Convincing Russian supplier to supply atomic clocks at Government level
- (6)           Frequent interaction with service providers for finalization of optical fiber for time transfer
- (7)           ISRO is geared up to carry out the impending activities of timescale integration, testing, validation, site commissioning, training, etc.

These  concerted  efforts,  aligned  with  government  directives  and  approvals,  underscore  the commitment to expedite the Time Dissemination Project, addressing challenges and ensuring the success and timely completion of the project.

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