I&B Ministry
MIB proposes installation of chip in DTH boxes: Report
MUMBAI: In order to make the measurement process of viewership better, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has proposed of an in-built chip in set-top boxes (STBs). According to a report by The Asian Age, the ministry has sought that all direct-to-home (DTH) operators should install a chip in all new set-top boxes to record data about channels watched and their duration.
The MIB has made this recommendation to the regulatory body Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). The proposal was squeezed into the voluminious DTH sector recommendations and the TRAI has asked for a separate and detailed proposal in regard to the matter.
“Regarding asking DTH operators to instal a chip in new STBs, it is stated that this is a new issue and cannot be part of the reference. If the MIB desires the TRAI’s recommendation on this issue, it may send a separate reference to TRAI as per the provisions of TRAI Act 1997,” TRAI said in a communication to the ministry.
If the step is taken, it would ensure a wider and better measurement system of viewership preferences across the country. Other than that, the move may also lead to the end of the Broadcast Audience Research Council’s (BARC) monopoly in the measurement system.
The proposal of allowing the renewal of licences to only DTH operators that have no dues pending to government has been approved by the TRAI.
Also read:
TRAI bats for issuing DTH licences for 20 years
BARC begins new subscription service PreView
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.
