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Calculate FM migration fee on reserve price for cities with no bids: TDSAT
According to the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT), all FM channels of Phase II in these cities, which had applied for migration to Phase III will pay this amount within three working days of receiving the computed figure.
Stressing that this was only an interim measure, TDSAT chairman Aftab Alam and members Kuldip Singh and B B Srivastava made it clear that in case the petition failed, the applicants would have to payment the balance of the NOTMF with interest within the date specified by the Tribunal.
Listing the matter for further hearing on 26 November, the Tribunal asked the Ministry represented by counsel Rajeev Sharma to file its reply by 13 November and the petitioner – Association of Radio Operators in India (AROI) represented by counsel Abhishek Malhotra – to file rejoinder – if any – by 20 November.
The Tribunal had yesterday extended the last date of payment of 75 per cent balance of NOTMF till today.
AROI has challenged the criteria for NOTMF for migrating from Phase II to Phase III of Radio FM.
The primary plea of AROI is that the I&B Ministry is charging very high fee for smaller cities for NOTMF.
During arguments, Malhotra said that the plea taken by the Ministry for the cities, which were put up for auction but failed to get successful bids was erroneous. The Ministry had reiterated the plea of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) that the final prices for allocation of channels in such cities have not been determined.
Malhotra said that existing Phase II FM operators in these cities who wanted to migrate had to be told the NOTMF they could pay for migration.
Earlier in a letter to I&B secretary Sunil Arora, TRAI secretary Sudhir Gupta rejected the plea of AROI in this regard with regard to ten cities for which no bids had come in the recent e-auctions.
Gupta said the AROI had in its representation “assumed zero percent increase in reserve prices for 10 group Z cities where auction was unsuccessful as no bids were received. This assumption of AROI is not tenable as the final prices for allocation of channels in such cities have not been determined.”
He added that AROI had indicated another two concerns in respect of calculation of NOTMF by the Ministry. In the first case wherein example of Shimla is given by AROI, the methodology followed by MIB is in line with TRAI’s recommendations of 20 February, 2014, as this has been explained in an example given in a table of TRAI’s recommendations on “Migration of FM Radio Broadcasters from Phase-11 to Phase-III” dated 20 February, 2014.
Accordingly, the request of AROI for review of NOTMF on this ground is not acceptable, Gupta said.
The letter was in response to a letter from the Ministry of 8 October wherein the Ministry has sought TRAI’s comments on the methodology used by I&B Ministry for calculation of NOTMF for existing cities and to confirm whether it has done calculation of city wise NOTMF in accordance with the TRAI’s recommendations of 20 February, 2014.
Gupta said TRAI had examined the methodology of calculation of NOTMF followed by the Ministry for group X, Y and Z cities. “The methodology followed by the Ministry for calculation of NOTMF is in accordance with TRAI’s recommendations dated 20 February, 2014.”
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
