The telecom services have been recognized the world-over as an important tool for socio economic development for a nation and hence telecom infrastructure is treated as a crucial factor to realize the socio-economic objectives in India. Accordingly, the Department of Telecom has been formulating developmental policies for the accelerated growth of the telecommunication services. The Department is also responsible for grant of licenses for various telecom services like Unified Access Service Internet and VSAT service. The Department is also responsible for frequency management in the field of radio communication in close coordination with the international bodies. It also enforces wireless regulatory measures by monitoring wireless transmission of all users in the country.
Digital Communications Commission (Erstwhile Telecom Commission)
The Telecom Commission was set up by the Government of India vide the Resolution dated 11th April, 1989(137 kb) with administrative and financial powers of the Government of India to deal with various aspects of Telecommunications. The Government, vide Resolution dated 22nd October,2018(261 kb), has re-designated the 'Telecom Commission' as the 'Digital Communications Commission'.
The Digital Communications Commission consists of a Chairman, four full time members, who are ex-officio Secretaries to the Government of India in the Department of Telecommunications and four part time members who are the Secretaries to the Government of India in the concerned Departments. The Secretary to the Government of India in the Department of Telecommunications is the ex-officio Chairman of the Digital Communications Commission. The full-time Members of the Digital Communications Commission are Member (Finance), Member (Production), Member (Services) & Member (Technology). The part-time Members of the Digital Communications Commission are Cheif Executive Officer, NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog, Secretary (Department of Economic Affairs), Secretary ( Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology) and Secretary (Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion). The Chief Executive Officer, NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog has been nominated as a (part-time) Member of the Digital Communications Commission vide the Resolution of the Government of India dated 15th March, 2016(53.8kb)
The Digital Communications Commission is responsible for:
- Formulating the policy of Department of Telecommunications for approval of the Government;
- Preparing the budget for the Department of Telecommunications for each financial year and getting it approved by the Government; &
- Implementation of Government's policy in all matters concerning telecommunication.