I&B Ministry
Chrome at variance with MIB on DAS Phase III, claims 78.6 per cent completed
MUMBAI: Even as the Information & Broadcasting Ministry has claimed almost 100 per cent digitization in the ongoing Phase III of digital addressable systems, Chrome Data Analytics & Media says its studies show the figure is much lower at 78.6 per cent.
The Task Force for the final two phases set up by the Ministry was informed in its 15th meeting on 30 May 2016 that about 41 million set top boxes had been seeded in Phase III despite the pending cases in many high courts.
As reported by indiantelevision.com, the claim was made by Information and Broadcasting joint secretary R Jaya who had earlier told the 14th meeting on 16 February 2016 that around 90.44 percent success had been achieved in DAS phase III. During the meeting it was informed that the seeding of STBs by MSOs increased from 6.91 million to 12.43 million between 31 December 2015 and 15 February 2016.
However, Chrome says its calculation of 78.6 per cent is primarily based on the 31.83 million C&S population that was digitized out of a total of 40.50 million C&S population in DAS III areas.
This number was based on primary research that supports the company’s proprietary tools like the Chrome subscriber establishment survey, widely used by the broadcasting industry, taking into account the Census 2011 numbers.
Chrome Data Analytics & Media CEO Pankaj Krishna told indiantelevision.com that “what we have seen in the current DAS phase is significant gains for DTH players, with their considerable infrastructure contributing towards these gains.”
Phase IV of DAS, the last phase of digitization that aims at covering all the remaining urban and rural areas in the country is set to be completed by 31 December 2016.
I&B Ministry
Government sets up AI governance group to steer policy
AIGEG to align ministries, assess jobs impact, guide AI deployment.
MUMBAI: If artificial intelligence is the engine, the government is now building the dashboard and making sure everyone reads from the same screen. The Centre has constituted a new inter-ministerial body to coordinate India’s approach to AI, formalising a key recommendation from its governance framework and the Economic Survey. The AI Governance and Economic Group (AIGEG), set up by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, will act as the central platform to align AI-related policy across ministries, regulators and departments, an attempt to bring coherence to what has so far been a fragmented and fast-evolving landscape.
The group will be chaired by union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, with minister of state Jitin Prasada as vice chairperson. Its composition reflects both technological and economic priorities, bringing together the principal scientific adviser, the chief economic adviser, and the CEO of NITI Aayog, alongside key secretaries from telecommunications, economic affairs and science and technology. A representative from the National Security Council Secretariat is also part of the group, while the MeitY secretary will serve as member convenor.
At its core, AIGEG is designed to do two things: coordinate and anticipate. On the policy front, it will review existing regulatory mechanisms, issue guidance across sectors and ensure companies remain compliant with evolving legal frameworks. Beyond that, it will oversee national initiatives on AI governance, with a focus on enabling responsible innovation rather than merely regulating it.
The economic dimension is equally central. The group has been tasked with assessing how AI-driven automation could reshape jobs identifying which roles are most at risk, where those impacts may be geographically concentrated, and whether technology will augment or replace human labour. Based on these assessments, it will develop mitigation strategies and transition plans, signalling a more proactive stance on workforce disruption.
In parallel, AIGEG will work with industry stakeholders to chart a long-term roadmap for AI adoption, categorising use cases into “deploy”, “pilot” or “defer” buckets depending on readiness factors such as data availability, skill levels and regulatory clarity. The aim is to move from broad ambition to structured execution deciding not just what can be built, but what should be built now.
The group will function as the apex layer in India’s AI governance architecture, supported by a Technology and Policy Expert Committee that will track global developments, emerging risks and regulatory priorities. Together, the two bodies are expected to shape both the pace and direction of AI adoption in the country.
In a landscape where technology often outruns policy, the creation of AIGEG signals an attempt to close that gap ensuring that India’s AI journey is not just rapid, but also coordinated, accountable and economically grounded.
