I&B Ministry
Govt. clears Sai TV’s Rs 50 million FDI project
The government yesterday cleared 47 proposals for foreign direct investment (FDI) worth a total of Rs 5,080 million, among which is Sai Television’s Rs 50 million project for producing software for television programming and communication services.
The biggest proposal that the government cleared yesterday were Banc of America’s Rs 2350 million plan to launch a 100 per cent subsidiary non banking finance company (NBFC) for commencing financial investment, capital markets and merchant banking services, the Press Trust of India, quoting an official release, said.
The other being Mercedes Benz India’s proposal to increase foreign equity from 84 per cent to 100 per cent in its Indian operations at a cost of Rs 840 million.
It was reported in the beginning of February that Sai Televisions, a southern-based listed company engaged in the television software business, had entered into a partnership with the US based Pointclick, which specialises in long distance voice calls through a private worldwide network.
The partnership between the two companies involved a share swap under which Pointclick would subscribe to five per cent in equity capital of Sai Television of Rs 51.5 million while Sai Television would have a 50 per cent stake in Pointclick. These were subject to getting government clearance, among other formalities.
The two companies plan to build a network in at least eight cities in India of VOIP (voice over internet protocal) centres, including a super centre designed to handle a tremendous amount of voice traffic drastically reducing the cost of long distance phone calls within India and internationally.
All the operations with regard to Pointclick both in India and abroad will be handled by the management of Pointclick and the role of Sai Television will be to provide services and financial resources for the growth of the two companies.
I&B Ministry
Digital radio, D2M tech set to reshape broadcasting and public messaging
Govt pushes next-gen delivery while TRAI tightens grip on spam ecosystem
NEW DELHI: India’s broadcasting and telecom landscape is undergoing a quiet but significant upgrade, with digital radio and Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) technologies emerging as powerful tools for mass communication, while regulators step up efforts to tackle spam calls.
According to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, digital radio and D2M are poised to transform how content reaches audiences by making more efficient use of spectrum. In simple terms, multiple channels can now be delivered over a single frequency, opening the door to a wider range of free-to-air content.
D2M technology takes this a step further by enabling video, audio and data to be broadcast directly to mobile handsets without relying on SIM cards or mobile data. The result is a resilient and cost-effective data pipe that can deliver everything from entertainment and education to critical emergency alerts, even in low-connectivity scenarios.
At the same time, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India is tightening its grip on unsolicited commercial communication, better known as spam calls. The regulator has deployed a distributed ledger technology platform to bring transparency and accountability into the system.
Through this blockchain-based setup, consumers can register their preferences on receiving promotional messages, while businesses and telemarketers must also sign up and operate within defined rules. The platform also includes a complaint mechanism that allows users to report spam, with complaints shared across telecom operators for coordinated action.
The government’s broader push is being supported by infrastructure upgrades under the Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development scheme. Implemented through Prasar Bharati, the initiative focuses on modernising networks such as Akashvani and Doordarshan, including digitisation and adoption of next-generation broadcast equipment.
In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting minister of state for information and broadcasting L. Murugan said these steps are part of a larger effort to promote emerging technologies and strengthen the country’s broadcasting backbone. The response came to a query raised by member of Parliament Rao Rajendra Singh.
Together, these developments point to a dual-track strategy: expanding access to reliable, low-cost content while cleaning up the communication ecosystem. As digital pipes get smarter and spam filters sharper, India’s airwaves may soon feel a lot less noisy and far more useful.
