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Maran backs Trai’s plan to cut DSL entry costs
NEW DELHI: The telecommunication ministry is working on a plan that would attempt to bring down the entry prices of digital subscriber lines (DSL), used for a host of services like cable TV, Internet, etc. The plan is part of a larger initiative to give a push to broadband in the country.
According to sources in the department of telecommunication, the new minister for telecom and IT, Dayanidhi Maran, has asked department officials to look into this aspect so that a formal announcement in this regard could take place.
Telecom and broadcast regulator, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), which came out with a paper on broadband recently, is of the opinion that Indian DSL costs 60 times as much per bit as Korea, (Japan and Korea in the $20 to $30 range, and China around $15) resulting in minimal take-up.
Amongst other suggestions, Trai has proposed cutting duties and taxes, unbundling for competitors, and direct pressure on the national telecom companies to cut prices. Trai is also working actively to lower the cost of connecting to the international Net.
What is DSL? When you connect to the Internet, you might connect through a regular modem, through a local-area network connection in your office, through a cable modem or through a digital subscriber line (DSL) connection. DSL is a very high-speed connection that uses the same wires as a regular telephone line.
A common configuration of DSL allows downloads at speeds of up to 1.544 megabits (not megabytes) per second, and uploads at speeds of 128 kilobits per second. This arrangement is called ADSL or asymmetric digital subscriber line.
Telecom department sources added that because Maran is young and comes from a media business background, he is keen to push ahead with technology that would not only help the telecom sector, but also other sectors like cable and broadcasting.
The government sources said that Maran is taken up by Trai’s suggestion that India could have 20 million DSL subscribers over a period of few years if the price goes down to $9 from a comparative high of over $ 40.
Big telecom companies like the Tatas-controlled VSNL and Reliance have evinced keen interest in broadband networks and DSL and have been ordering equipment in hundreds of thousands to tap this virgin market. Both VSNL and Reliance have fiber backbones, barely utilized, to the major cities, and international alliances for bandwidth.
Some of the advantages of DSL are the following:
· You can leave your Internet connection open and still use the phone line for voice calls.
· The speed is much higher than a regular modem (1.5 Mbps vs. 56 Kbps)
· DSL doesn’t necessarily require new wiring; it can use the phone line you already have.
The company that offers DSL will usually provide the modem as part of the installation.
The sources indicated that though Maran would like to push ahead with the Convergence Communication Bill, but various political compulsions would have to be taken into account before the Bill, which has lapsed with the demise of the previous Parliament and government, could be revived.
“The minister would like to confer with the Prime Minister before he takes any formal step regarding the Communications Bill,” a government source said. The Communications Convergence Bill, amongst other things, envisages an over-arching law for the convergence era with a common regulator for telecom, IT and broadcast sectors.
However, where Maran may face some difficulty in reviving the Bill is the fact that one of the important allies of the present United Progressive Alliance Government is the Left parties and it was a parliamentary panel headed by Somnath Chatterjee, the now-speaker of Parliament and a Communist Party Marxist Member of Parliament, that had suggested over 70 amendments in the Convergence Bill.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
