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Planning Commission to identify broader areas for policy review
NEW DELHI: The information and broadcasting ministry may have had reservations about convergence of the infotech, broadcasting and telecom sectors, but a section of the government feels that may be the only way forward.
The Planning Commission, a government think-tank on economic policies has recently set up a co-ordination committee on information, communication and broadcasting technologies. The agenda: to identify broader areas for policy review.
This initiative, undertaken earlier this month, is part of mid-term appraisal of the 10th Five-Year Plan (2002-07).
The terms of reference of the newly set-up committee are to look into the following issues:
Conditional access system and the use of SMS in the broadcasting sector,
Rural connectivity and deployment of wireless technologies in the last mile,
Broadband and its benefits for the masses,
Facilitating Internet penetration,
ICT (information, communication and technology)-based reforms in the postal sector,
Postman-based electronic mail and e-mail with latency.
Societal applications for IT,
Optimum use of spectrum and principles of spectrum allocation and management,
R&D in the convergent technologies.
The committee is headed by minister of state (planning) MV Rajashekharan and comprises Planning Commission secretary RR Shah, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India chairman Pradip Baijal, Prasar Bharati CEO KS Sarma and secretaries in the I&B ministry, department of telecom and department of post, amongst others.
A Planning Commission order relating to this states that the tenure and time frame of the Coordination Committee shall be determined in accordance with the time schedule of preparation of the mid-term appraisal document of the 10th Five-year Plan.
It may be mentioned here that the Planning Commission does make important recommendations on various issues, which need not necessarily be accepted by the government. But such studies and recommendations do indicate the thought process of the government.
Over a year back, a Planning Commission panel had stated that there was a need to review various foreign investment caps, including in the DTH broadcasting sector. However, the government of the day had not taken up the suggestion with the seriousness it could have been to increase foreign investments in the country, which lags behind that made in China.
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Rising Bharat Summit 2026 spotlights India’s global ascent
PM Modi keynotes two-day event with ministers, diplomats and icons in New Delhi.
MUMBAI: India didn’t just host a summit, it threw a coming-out party for a nation ready to own the global stage. The News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026, held on 27–28 February in New Delhi, emerged as a high-octane platform for ideas, vision and strategic dialogue, uniting national leadership, global policymakers, industry titans, defence strategists and cultural icons under the theme “Strength Within”.
Prime minister Narendra Modi set the tone with a keynote that framed India’s resurgence as a reclaiming of lost potential built over generations. “In previous industrial revolutions, India and the Global South were merely followers,” he said. “But in the era of Artificial Intelligence, India is a partner in decisions and shaping them.” He highlighted the country’s thriving AI startup ecosystem and the recent AI Impact Summit attended by over 100 nations.
Union minister Piyush Goyal (Commerce & Industry) stressed India’s readiness to scale exports and deepen manufacturing, while Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways, I&B, Electronics & IT) positioned technology and infrastructure as twin engines of growth, especially in AI and digital trust. Jyotiraditya Scindia (Communications & North East Development) revealed India’s ambition to lead in 6G through the Bharat 6G Alliance and partnerships with over 30 countries.
Global voices added depth: former Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo called India’s development “self-sustaining” and strategically vital; ex-UK Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter asserted India deserves a seat at the great powers’ table; and former US Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined ambassadors from Norway, Germany and Sweden in discussions on geopolitical realignment, sustainability and defence preparedness.
Other speakers included veteran investor Ramesh Damani, World Gold Council CEO David Tait, Vianai Systems founder Dr Vishal Sikka, DeepTech Bharat Foundation co-founder Shashi Shekhar Vempati, defence experts Rajesh Kumar Singh, Sunil Ambekar, Patrick McGee, Tom Cooper and Adrian Fontanellaz, plus cultural and sporting icons Kangana Ranaut, Saina Nehwal, PR Sreejesh, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mithali Raj, Anil Kapoor and Yami Gautam.
The summit was supported by Jio Financial Services (Presenting Partner), Phonepe and DS Group (Co-Presenting Partners), Pernod Ricard India and Kia Seltos (Powered By & Driven By), state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand (State Partners), and associate partners including NSE, M3M Foundation and Reliance Industries.
Broadcast live across News18 Network, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz, the event reinforced India’s image as a confident democracy and emerging global power proving that when strength comes from within, the world can’t help but watch.
