The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the National Digital Communications Policy, 2018, and renamed the Telecom Commission as the Digital Communications Commission.
In a press release, the government said the policy aims to attract investments worth $100 billion (Rs 7.25 lakh crore) in the digital communications sector. It also aims to provide universal broadband connectivity at 50 megabyte per second to every citizen, 1 gigabyte per second connectivity to every gram panchayat by 2020 and 10 gigabyte per second by 2022.
Press Information Bureau Director General Sitanshu Kar said that the policy will ensure broadband connectivity to all unconnected areas, and secure digital communications infrastructure and services across the country. The policy also aims at establishing a comprehensive data protection regime.
The policy also “advocates” the establishment of a National Digital Grid, and collaboration through a formal mechanism between the Centre, states and local bodies for factors such as standardisation of costs.
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