I&B Ministry
Prasar Bharati sells four MPEG-4 slots for Rs 66 lakh
MUMBAI: Prasar Bharati has sold four DD Free Dish MPEG 4 slots on pro-rata basis for the period from 1 February 2020 to 14 March 2020 to four channels for Rs 66 lakh. The channels are Samay (Hindi News), 9X Jalwa (Hindi Music), Sangeet Bangla (Bangla Music) and JK 24×7 News (Hindi News).
Bidding in the e-auction of MPEG-4 slots was open to all genres (language) channels at a reserve price of Rs 16,50,000.
On 10 January, Prasar Bharati had invited application from the channels licensed by the ministry of information and broadcasting. International public broadcasters licensed/registered by the Ministry of I&B were also allowed to participate in the e-auction.
The public broadcaster has instructed that the allotted channels to pay the amount in two installments along with the carriage fee and applicable GST. The channel will have to pay the first installment in advance by 30 January 2020 i.e before placement of channel on DD Free Dish DTH Platform and second installment to be payable by 27 February 2020 after adjusting the participation fee amount.
In November 2019, it had sold MPEG-2 slots of DD Free Dish on pro-rata basis for the period from 1 December 2019 to 29 February 2020 to eight channels for approx Rs 18.9 crore. The channels were ABZY Cool in Movies genre (Hindi) under bucket A; Showbox in Music genre (Hindi) under bucket B; Ganga Biskope in Movies genre (Bhojpuri) under bucket B; WOW in Music genre (Hindi) under bucket B; TV9 Bharatvarsh News genre (Hindi) under C; ABP Ganga in genre (Hindi) under bucket C; Zee Punjabi in others (PUnjabi) under bucket D and MR TV in others (Marathi) under Bucket D. For MPEG 2 slot the pubcaster had reserved the starting price of bucket A for Rs 3.11 crore; bucket B for Rs 2.73 crore; bucket C for Rs 2.23 crore and bucket D for Rs 1.55 crore.
I&B Ministry
India rolls out Rs 203 crore TDIP scheme to boost 6G push
Revised policy widens access for startups, boosts global telecom standards play
NEW DELHI: India is doubling down on its telecom ambitions with a revamped Technology Development and Investment Promotion scheme, designed to help the country move from participant to power player in global standards.
The Ministry of Communications on Tuesday unveiled revised guidelines for the TDIP scheme, committing Rs 203 crore for the 2026 to 2031 period. The move aims to strengthen India’s presence in international telecom forums while accelerating homegrown innovation in next-generation technologies, including 5G Advanced and 6G.
At the launch, Ministry of Communications union minister for communications and development of north eastern region Jyotiraditya M. Scindia said the updated framework is intended to give Indian players a stronger voice in shaping global telecom rules.
The scheme focuses heavily on increasing participation in key global bodies such as the International Telecommunication Union, 3GPP and oneM2M. Financial support will be provided for attending international meetings, submitting technical proposals, taking leadership roles, and even hosting global events in India.
The idea is straightforward. If India helps write the rules, its technologies stand a better chance of going global.
Beyond policy rooms and conference tables, the revised scheme casts a wider net across the ecosystem. Startups, MSMEs, academia and research institutions are now explicitly included, opening the door for broader collaboration and faster innovation cycles. Pilot projects, proof-of-concept initiatives and real-world demonstrations will also receive support, helping ideas move from lab to market.
Supporting the rollout will be institutions such as Telecommunications Standards Development Society India, Telecom Centres of Excellence India and Telecommunications Consultants India Limited. These bodies will coordinate efforts, build capacity and ensure industry participation aligns with global opportunities.
The initiative ties in with broader efforts by the Department of Telecommunications, including programmes like the Telecom Technology Development Fund and the Bharat 6G Mission, forming a more cohesive push towards future-ready networks.
Also present at the event were Ministry of Communications minister of state for communications and rural development Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani and Department of Telecommunications secretary (telecommunications) and chairman digital communications commission Amit Agrawal.
With this update, India is not just looking to keep pace with global telecom trends. It is aiming to help define them.
