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TRAI issues regulations for reducing security deposit and registration fees of telemarketers
EW DELHI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) today issued regulations to encourage telemarketers to register by reducing the registration fees and the security deposit with the service provider.
The Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference (Fourteenth Amendment) Regulations, 2013 says some of the major entities like banks and insurance agencies have requested the Authority to reduce the registration fees and also the security deposit with the service providers to remove the entry barrier for small dealers/ agents.
Some of the major banks and insurance agencies have submitted that there are small dealers/ agents, in their business model, who do not have the means to afford the initial security deposit of Rs 1,00,000 with service providers for taking telecom resources. Since the banks and insurance companies are compulsorily mandating their dealers/agents for registration as a telemarketer with TRAI, they have requested for reduction in the registration fee and the initial security deposit so as to motivate and provide opportunity for these small agents/dealers to register with TRAI as a telemarketer.
The Authority considered the issue and issued the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference (Fourteenth Amendment) Regulations, 2013 to address these issues. The salient features of the 14th Amendment to the TCCCPR are:
· The registration period is extended from three to five years. The existing registered telemarketers can renew their registration by paying a renewal fee of Rs 5000.
· The Registration Fee is reduced from Rs 10,000 (Rs 1,000 Registration Fee + Rs 9,000 Customer Education Fee) to Rs 5,000, which will be a common Registration Fee, without any separate Customer Education Fee.
· This initial security deposit with the service provider is reduced Rs 1,00,000 to Rs 50,000.
· The revised provisions of the regulations will come into effect after 30 days.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
