I&B Ministry
I&B sets deadline for MSOs interested in DAS phase III
NEW DELHI: All multi-system operators interested in distributing digital cable television services through the local cable operators in areas covered under phase III have been asked to apply by 21 December, this year.
Phase III Digital Addressable System comes into effect from 31 December 2015, according to the revised deadlines.
This phase will cover all remaining Municipal Corporations and Municipalities.
The application in Form 6 (in triplicate) duly filled in and complete in all respects along with enclosures/documents and processing fee etc., has to be submitted to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.
It must contain details of the company/firm, directors/key executives and shareholding pattern etc in the prescribed Proforma.
Application can also be submitted in person during Open House Meeting held on every Tuesday between 11 AM to 12 noon after sending request by email at das.mib@qmail.com or sobpandl@omail.com .
The application form (Form 6) and Proforma for details of company etc can be downloaded from Ministry’s official websites: www.mib.nic.in or www. digitalindiamib.com.
Applications received after 31 December 2014 will not be accepted/entertained for phase lll areas till cutoff date of phase lll is over. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
Queries in this regard can be addressed to das.mib@omail.com or contact Section Officer (DAS) on telephone no. 011-23381478.
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.
