I&B Ministry
Prasad says henceforth CAS only after states’ okay
NEW DELHI: Taking a similar line to that he adopted on a just-concluded tour of South India, information and broadcasting minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said today that in future conditional access system (CAS) would be implemented in consultation with the state governments concerned.
“The first phase of CAS implementation has taught us many things. In future wherever CAS is rolled out, it’d be done after having consulted the state government concerned,” Prasad told journalists today during an informal interaction after returning from his tour of South India, including Kerala.
According to Prasad, in places like Bangalore (Karnataka) and Kerala people urged him to bring their cities also under CAS. “I think barring some industry people, there is a growing demand from every walk of life to have a transparent system. CAS is all about that,” he added.
He also said that he has directed his ministry officials to set up state-level implementation committee on CAS, headed by a secretary-level official from the state government, with representation from the industry and the Central government too.
In an aside, the minister also regretted that CAS had become a “politicial issue” in Delhi that had a cascading effect in cities like Kolkata and Mumbai too.
Meanwhile, ministry sources said that the I&B ministry may take up the issue of being made responsible for copyright-related cases, especially those relating to the broadcast, music and film sectors.
At the moment, I&B ministry cannot interfere in copyright issues as despite certain sectors falling within its jurisdiction, the apex Copyright Act empowers the human resources development ministry to take action.
“HRD ministry is responsible for copyright cases related to piracy, but it has not shown much interest in curbing the issue, though the sectors coming under I&B ministry are getting severely effected by untamed piracy, ” a senior I&B ministry official pointed out.
However, observers in Delhi said it would be difficult to take away any responsibility from the HRD minister Murli Manohar Joshi, a hardcore right wing politician of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
I&B Ministry
Digital radio, D2M tech set to reshape broadcasting and public messaging
Govt pushes next-gen delivery while TRAI tightens grip on spam ecosystem
NEW DELHI: India’s broadcasting and telecom landscape is undergoing a quiet but significant upgrade, with digital radio and Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) technologies emerging as powerful tools for mass communication, while regulators step up efforts to tackle spam calls.
According to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, digital radio and D2M are poised to transform how content reaches audiences by making more efficient use of spectrum. In simple terms, multiple channels can now be delivered over a single frequency, opening the door to a wider range of free-to-air content.
D2M technology takes this a step further by enabling video, audio and data to be broadcast directly to mobile handsets without relying on SIM cards or mobile data. The result is a resilient and cost-effective data pipe that can deliver everything from entertainment and education to critical emergency alerts, even in low-connectivity scenarios.
At the same time, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India is tightening its grip on unsolicited commercial communication, better known as spam calls. The regulator has deployed a distributed ledger technology platform to bring transparency and accountability into the system.
Through this blockchain-based setup, consumers can register their preferences on receiving promotional messages, while businesses and telemarketers must also sign up and operate within defined rules. The platform also includes a complaint mechanism that allows users to report spam, with complaints shared across telecom operators for coordinated action.
The government’s broader push is being supported by infrastructure upgrades under the Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development scheme. Implemented through Prasar Bharati, the initiative focuses on modernising networks such as Akashvani and Doordarshan, including digitisation and adoption of next-generation broadcast equipment.
In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting minister of state for information and broadcasting L. Murugan said these steps are part of a larger effort to promote emerging technologies and strengthen the country’s broadcasting backbone. The response came to a query raised by member of Parliament Rao Rajendra Singh.
Together, these developments point to a dual-track strategy: expanding access to reliable, low-cost content while cleaning up the communication ecosystem. As digital pipes get smarter and spam filters sharper, India’s airwaves may soon feel a lot less noisy and far more useful.
