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Government mulls notification on STB offtake terms
NEW DELHI: Not satisfied with passing a law, the Indian government now wants to do micro-management of the implementation of the law. Especially when it comes to conditional access system (CAS), which has become a hot topic for debate all over the country with pro and anti CAS lobbies making merry.
The government is now proposing to issue a notification that will ensure consumers, who go in for set-top boxes (STBs) in a post-CAS regime, are not taken for a ride by the suppliers as also the cable operator who’ll collect the security money in case boxes are taken on rent.
According to senior government officials, the I&B ministry is studying a formula whereby loopholes would be plugged by the government in the manner of provision of STBs on rent.
“In the event of STBs being rented by consumers, a time frame of the refund of the security deposit and the form of receipt (given to consumers) will be done by the cable operator as per a format specified by the government,” a government official, having access to the CAS files in the ministry, told indiantelevision.com today.
The rationale behind the proposed legislative move, likely to be made public before 15 June, is that the cable operators would deal in a huge amount of money that would be collected in the form of security deposits (in case STBs are taken on rent) and there is a likelihood of the grievances of the consumers not being addressed once the money is paid.
To protect the consumers from being harassed by cable operators in the event a person gets transferred from one place to another and needs his refund, the rule would ensure a safe return of the security deposits as per the various schemes being floated by the multi-service operators (MSOs).
Since the proposed notification would also look into the issue of proper receipts being given by cable ops to consumers, the interest of the consumer would be safeguarded, government officials said, emphasizing the government is in top gear where education of consumers regarding CAS is concerned.
Though the ministry has written to the broadcasters that latest by 10 June details of pay and free to air channels would have to be furnished, the formal deadline for pay channels’ individual pricing remains 15 June after which the government is unlikely to give any relaxation to the broadcasters.
Government officials said that the issue of unbundling of channels may be part of the proposed legislative move on STBs if a separate notification is not brought out to make the truant broadcaster fall in line.
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WITT Summit 2026 concludes in New Delhi
Babar Azam’s comical diving attempt goes viral as league introduces anti-dew measures.
MUMBAI: The WITT Summit just wrapped up with enough big ideas to fill a policy playbook because when India’s leaders, thinkers and icons gather under one roof, even the conversations hit sixes. The eighth edition of TV9 Network’s flagship What India Thinks Today (WITT) Summit 2026 concluded on Saturday after two days of dynamic discussions at its New Delhi venue. India’s largest multi-domain public policy and culture summit brought together political leaders, policymakers, sports icons, artists and technology innovators to examine the forces shaping contemporary India and its global standing.
Prime minister Narendra Modi delivered the keynote address on the theme “India and the World” for the third consecutive year. In a wide-ranging speech, he addressed the ongoing conflict in West Asia, calling for restraint and compassion while highlighting India’s continued development trajectory despite global turmoil.
The summit featured candid conversations with state leaders. Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy articulated a people-first governance model and contrasted it with other development approaches. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav declared that Left-wing extremism had been effectively eliminated in his state and highlighted preparations for the upcoming Kumbh Mela. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann defended his government’s record, citing the closure of 19 toll plazas and creation of the Sadak Suraksha Force. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar expressed confidence in Congress prospects in Assam and addressed recent allegations against him.
On geopolitics and national security, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia outlined India’s ambition to become a builder of trusted digital infrastructure for the world, citing the rapid 5G rollout and village-level 4G connectivity.
Cricket received significant attention. Former India captain Sourav Ganguly praised player freedom and trust as hallmarks of great leadership and named MS Dhoni as the greatest captain due to his World Cup successes. India women’s team bowling coach Aavishkar Salvi credited the BCCI and Women’s Premier League for building a pipeline of world-class talent behind the team’s recent ODI World Cup triumph.
The summit also hosted the inaugural AI² Awards 2026, celebrating the convergence of human creativity and machine intelligence in storytelling and content creation. Poet and kathavachak Kumar Vishwas delivered a nuanced take on India’s concept of Dharma and criticised the recent arrest of an 80-year-old Shankaracharya. Veteran lyricist Sameer Anjaan and storyteller Neelesh Misra reflected on changing music trends and artistic responsibility in the wake of a recent controversy involving Nora Fatehi.
In a country where conversations often run as deep as the Ganges, the WITT Summit proved once again that when leaders, thinkers and storytellers come together, the real winner is public discourse lively, layered and refreshingly unafraid to tackle the big questions shaping India’s tomorrow.
