I&B Ministry
Swaraj is confident, but Convergence Bill may not emerge this session
Despite information and broadcasting minister Sushma Swaraj’s assertion on 6 May that efforts will be made to bring in the Convergence Bill during the current session of Parliament, it is highly unlikely that the policy aiming to have a super regulator for the IT, broadcasting and telecom sectors will be introduced in Parliament before the current session comes to an end on May 16.
According to government sources, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on IT and telecom, headed by Communist Party of India’s Member of Parliament, Somnath Chatterjee, is yet to submit its report on the Convergence Bill.
The Convergence Bill, aiming to have a policy framework for the convergence era, was referred to the Standing Committee last year to examine the various clauses after being introduced in Parliament.
If India gets to enact this piece of legislation, it would only be the second country in the world, after Malaysia, to have such a convergence policy in place.
“The last date for feedback/representation on the Convergence Bill was April 22 and the members are yet to examine the feedback clause by clause,” a member of the Standing Committee said, pointing out that it is highly unlikely that the panel would finalise its observation in the form of a report before 16 May.
On 6 May, replying to supplementaries during question hour in the Rajya Sabha (Upper House), Swaraj had said the Convergence Bill provides for a panel to deliberate on contents of programmes to be shown on television. “The bill has been referred to a Parliamentary committee. We will try to bring it before 17 May,” she had said.
But now with the member of the standing committee saying that the report has yet to be submitted Ms Swaraj and the industry will have to wait for a while – as has been happening for the past five years – for any major broadcasting regulation.
To another query, Swaraj had said the government is aware of some surrogate advertisements being shown on the small screen and moves were on to make advertisers accountable for their display.
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.
