Ashwini Vaishnaw on Telecom Bill: Finalisation Expected by July

The telecom sector in India is poised for significant advancements with the expected finalisation of the Telecom Bill. As per the latest update from Union Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, the government is on track to finalise the bill by July, following substantial progress in its development.

Minister Vaishnaw said the government has held extensive consultations with a wide range of stakeholders. He also expressed the government's commitment to simplifying regulations governing the telecom industry. The Telecom Bill aims to establish India as a global benchmark by focusing on user protection and fostering innovation. Notably, it seeks to address the increasing menace of fraudulent calls originating from overseas numbers.

"Fraudulent calls generated with overseas numbers have become a significant concern for our citizens. To tackle this issue, we are prepared to take stringent measures," stated Vaishnaw.

WhatsApp said it is committed to ensuring user safety on its platform.

“We have been actively engaging with the government to consistently ensure a safe and secure user experience, including weeding out bad-actors from the platform. WhatsApp is a leader among end-to-end encrypted services in protecting user safety and we continue to provide several in-built safety tools like Block & Report, Two-step verification, among others, along with regularly driving user safety education and awareness,” a WhatsApp spokesperson said.

The statement comes after Vaishnaw mentioned that he welcomes the introduction of new mechanisms to create fraudulent numbers and calls, emphasising the government's determination to curb such fraudulent activities.

Moreover, the minister shed light on the anticipated surge in investments in the telecom sector. Over the next two to three years, an estimated Rs 2 lakh crore is expected to be invested, with the potential for investment to reach as high as Rs 3 lakh crores. These investments signify the confidence placed in the industry's growth potential and are anticipated to drive overall revenue expansion, he said.

The telecom industry in India is currently on a healthy trajectory, exhibiting encouraging signs of growth. Minister Vaishnaw expressed optimism about the sector's future prospects and emphasised the government's commitment to creating an enabling environment for sustained growth.