Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister for Railways, Communications & Electronics and IT, is hopeful that the auctions for 5G telecom spectrum should begin by April-May of next year. “Trai will define the structure of the auction, which should complete by March next year and immediately after that we will have 5G auctions,” the telecom minister said, adding “We want the auction to be technology-neutral.”
In a fireside chat with Navika Kumar, Group Editor, Times Network and Editor-in-Chief, Times Now Navbharat, on the second day of Times Now Summit 2021, the minister said in the coming 2-3 years, regulations in the telecom sector will completely change and will be world-class.
Retrospective taxes, AGR definition and procedural reforms announced in September this year, are already showing their impact, the ex-bureaucrat said. “The approach in which the govt and the telecom sectors were adversarial has changed,” he added.
Talking about the future of telecom in India, Vaishnaw said by the mid of 2023, “PM’s vision of having a world-class telecom regulation will be achieved.”
He further added that the entire hardware and software required for 4G, 5G and 6G networks will be developed in India soon. The minister said 35 companies have availed production linked incentives (PLI) scheme for telecom and they are rapidly progressing on their manufacturing plan.
On Railways’ Financials
Vaishnaw said earnings of railways mainly depend on the cargo volume and the national carrier is working on improving its cargo share in revenues. “India’s cost of logistics is 14% of GDP. If more cargo comes to railways then the ratio will reduce.”
He said the focus of the Indian Railway is now on getting the retail and MSME cargo orders and the national carrier is developing a special box for carrying retail cargo.
Integration of Railways with other industries
The railway minister said the national transporter was earlier working in isolation with other industries so it was not able to address the needs of the industries. “But over the last seven years, railways have changed a lot,” he said, adding that private participation is necessary to transform railways.
The minister believes that in the next five years, railways will be highly profitable. “Customer experience is going to change completely. We are manufacturing new coaches. Every month 5-6 new trains will come,” he added.
On the significance of starting Shri Ramayana Yatra Special Train
The minister said there should be an authentic way of people witnessing the culture, heritage and history of the country and it makes business sense to run such trains. He further added that in the near future more such tourist special trains will be launched with the help of the private sector.
