NEW DELHI: Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia held a press conference at the National Media Centre, outlining the key achievements of the Ministry of Communications and the Ministry of Development of the Northeastern Region (MDoNER) over the past 100 days.
During the conference, Scindia highlighted the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) key initiatives as part of the Government of India’s 100-day programme. He spoke about the four goals for a developed telecom ecosystem: Samavesit, Viksit, Tvarit, and Surakshit.
Under the Samavesit goal, the focus was on expanding 4G services to previously uncovered villages and regions across India, while also extending the 5G network. Scindia announced that 9,560 villages had gained mobile connectivity, marking a 27% increase nationwide.
The Viksit goal focused on accelerating 6G research with a vision of deploying 6G by 2030. This also included the development of 100 5G labs, 41 of which were installed within 100 days.
Additional initiatives included establishing Centres of Excellence (CoE) for 6G and Telecom Security, leveraging telecom data for cross-sectoral infrastructure planning via the AI-driven Sangam Digital Twin, and introducing a proof of concept for metro route planning. Furthermore, the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for telecom and networking products was discussed.
The Tvarit goal emphasized ease of living and ease of doing business, including revised standards for quality of service. Scindia also highlighted the framing and enforcement of the Telecommunications Act, 2023.
The final goal, Surakshit, focused on developing a secure, digital intelligence platform and onboarding state/UT police forces onto this system. In response to rising concerns about mobile fraud, Scindia stressed the government’s success in blocking 2.37 lakh fraudulent mobile handsets.
In the postal sector, Scindia revealed that the government had far exceeded its target of launching 5,000 ‘Daak Chaupals’ (local communication hubs), reaching 15,163 within 100 days. These hubs aim to enhance rural distribution networks.
Turning to the Northeastern region, Scindia highlighted several landmark projects sanctioned under PM-DevINE and NESIDS, including a ₹419.13 crore initiative to establish a State Cancer Institute in Arunachal Pradesh, as well as road construction projects aimed at improving connectivity in Assam, Sikkim, and Manipur. These infrastructure projects are expected to benefit tens of thousands of people across the region.
Scindia also emphasized the government’s commitment to boosting entrepreneurship in the region through the Manipur Start-Up Venture Fund, which has an initial corpus of ₹30 crore aimed at encouraging local entrepreneurs.
ALSO READ:All Telecommunications Act rules to be notified within 180 days: Scindia – THE NEW INDIAN
Additionally, he introduced the Northeast Science and Technology Cluster, which focuses on innovation, AI, and sustainability. The minister also launched the NE-RACE portal, which provides market linkages for agricultural products from the region.
Concluding the conference, Scindia underscored the government’s unified vision for development, stating, “One team, one goal, one vision, one result.”
The event highlighted the government’s ongoing efforts to prioritize infrastructure, economic growth, and connectivity, particularly in the long-overlooked Northeastern region.