Broadband
Govt launches National Broadband Mission; to cover all villages by 2022
MUMBAI: The Minister for Communications, Law & Justice and Electronics and Information Technology, Ravi Shankar Prasad launched the National Broadband Mission (NBM) which will aim to cover all Indian villages by 2022. The aim is to “fulfil all aspirations of the people and enable fast track growth of digital communication infrastructure”.
The vision of the NBM is to fast track growth of digital communications infrastructure, bridge the digital divide, facilitate digital empowerment and inclusion and provide affordable and universal access of broadband for all. Some of the objectives of the mission which is structured with a strong emphasis on the three principles of universality, affordability and quality are:
· Broadband access to all villages by 2022
· Facilitate universal and equitable access to broadband services for across the country and especially in rural and remote areas
· Laying of incremental 30 lakh route km of Optical Fiber Cable and increase in tower density from 0.42 to 1.0 tower per thousand of population by 2024
· Significantly improve quality of services for mobile and internet
· Develop innovative implementation models for Right of Way (RoW) and to work with States/UTs for having consistent policies pertaining to expansion of digital infrastructure including for RoW approvals required for laying of OFC
· Develop a Broadband Readiness Index (BRI) to measure the availability of digital communications infrastructure and conducive policy ecosystem within a State/UT.
· Creation of a digital fibre map of the Digital Communications network and infrastructure, including Optical Fiber Cables and Towers, across the country
· Investment from stakeholders of USD 100 billion (Rs 7 lakh crore) including Rs 70,000 crore from Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF)
· Address policy and regulatory changes required to accelerate the expansion and creation of digital infrastructure and services
· Work with all stakeholders including the concerned Ministries / Departments/ Agencies, and Ministry of Finance, for enabling investments for the Mission
Snapshot of growth in Telecom Parameters
|
Year |
2014 |
2019 |
|
Mobile Subscribers (in millions) 30% Growth |
907.42 |
1173.75 |
|
Internet Subscribers(in millions) 165% Growth |
251.59
|
665.31 |
|
Broadband Subscribers(in millions) 530% Growth |
99.2 |
625.42 |
|
Tele-density (%) 20% Growth |
75.23 % |
90.52 % |
|
Rural Tele-density (%) 31% Growth |
44.01 % |
57.59 % |
|
Data Consumption (in GB per subscriber per month) 1120% Growth |
Less than 0.80 GB |
9.77 GB |
Broadband
Zoff Foods extends Shilpa Shetty partnership into ninth year
Spice brand reinforces trust-led positioning amid growth and funding push.
MUMBAI: Nine years, one flavour and the recipe clearly still works. Zoff Foods has extended its long-running association with Shilpa Shetty, marking nine consecutive years of her as brand ambassador as the company scales its presence across Indian households. What began as a digital-first collaboration has gradually evolved into a defining element of the brand’s identity. Over nearly a decade, the partnership has mirrored Zoff’s own journey from an emerging challenger to a fast-growing FMCG player with a widening footprint across e-commerce, quick commerce and offline retail channels.
The logic behind the continuity is straightforward. In a category where trust and familiarity drive purchase decisions, particularly in spices and ready-to-cook segments, long-term associations tend to carry more weight than short bursts of visibility. Shetty’s positioning as a fitness-conscious, health-aware public figure aligns with the brand’s emphasis on purity and quality factors that are increasingly shaping consumer choices in modern Indian kitchens.
The extension also comes at a time when Zoff Foods is entering a more aggressive growth phase. The company recently raised $2 million in a Pre-Series B funding round led by JM Financial Private Equity, with participation from Aman Gupta, signalling a push towards expanding distribution, product innovation and market reach.
Company executives have positioned the continued partnership as a strategic anchor amid this expansion, reinforcing brand recall while entering new markets. For Shetty, the association remains rooted in shared values around authenticity and ingredient integrity attributes that resonate strongly with increasingly mindful consumers.
In a market crowded with new-age brands and shifting loyalties, Zoff’s approach suggests a different playbook: build slowly, stay consistent, and let familiarity do the heavy lifting. Because sometimes, in both branding and cooking, it’s not about reinventing the dish, it’s about perfecting it over time.
