Page 13 - Banking Finance March 2023

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2022: Digital Divide' released by the lic Network Licence with the DoT. The Rail passenger revenue
NGO, Indian women are 15 per cent licences have been applied for 20 geo-
zooms 76% YoY
less likely to own a mobile phone and graphical locations by the five compa-
33 per cent less likely to use mobile nies. These companies could be Indian The Indian Railways has recorded 76
internet services than men. per cent year-on-year (YoY) growth in
IT majors such as Tata Consultancy
its passenger revenue in the first eight
In Asia-Pacific, India fares the worst Services, Infosys and Wipro. Industry
months of this financial year. The na-
with the widest gender gap of 40.4 per insiders also note that Indian multina-
tional transporter garnered Rs 43,324
cent, says the study. The report also tional conglomerate Aditya Birla Group
crore from its passenger services until
points to rural-urban digital divide. could also be in the fray.
November, against Rs 24,631 crore in
"Despite registering a significant (digi-
The source also added that an internal the corresponding period last year,
tal) growth rate of 13 per cent in a
committee at the DoT has completed according to provisional data by the
year, only 31 per cent of the rural popu-
its report on the demand studies for Ministry of Railways.
lation uses Internet compared to 67
private network players. The report
Proceeds from the reserved segment
percent of their urban counterparts,"
likely identifies spectrum bands, which
of the Railways grew by 50 per cent
says the report.
the department might allocate to
YoY to Rs 34,303 crore as against Rs
The report analyses the primary data companies directly. 22,904 crore during the same period
from Centre for Monitoring Indian last fiscal year. Unreserved tickets,
According to reports, firms such as
Economy's (CMIE) household survey Tata Communications, Tata Power and which had been in short supply during
held from Jan 2018 to Dec 2021. the two Covid years of FY21 and FY22,
Tejas Networks have applied to the
have garnered 422 per cent more YoY
Among states, Maharashtra has the DoT for direct allocation of spectrum.
at 9,021 crore.
highest internet penetration, followed The report contains the DoT's decision
by Goa and Kerala, while Bihar has the on this matter. The aforementioned revenue during
April-November 2022 is much higher
lowest, followed by Chhattisgarh and
At present, companies can establish
than that generated during the same
Jharkhand, the report said.
private networks either by availing
periods in 2018 and 2019, indicating a
"As per the NSS (2017-18), only about CNPN-as-a-service from licensed
significant boost in the passenger rev-
9 per cent of the students who were telecom operators or by obtaining a
enue. While the Railways garnered Rs
enrolled in any course had access to a CNPN licence themselves and leasing
33,900 crore during April-November in
computer with internet and 25 per- spectrum either from a TSP or the gov- 2018, it generated Rs 35,255 crore
cent of enrolled students had access to ernment directly. Therefore, even as during the same months 2019.
the internet through any kind of de- companies await DoT's decision re-
vices," says the report. garding whether the allocation of the
Central Government forms
spectrum from the government will be
The digital push driven by the pan-
applied, they have already started ap- panel on digital competi-
demic resulted in India experiencing
plying for licences in 20 locations. tion law
the largest number of real-time digital
transactions in 2021 at 48.6 billion. According to the eligibility requirements The government has set up a panel for
for the CNPN licence, the applicant must examining the various regulatory as-
be an Indian company registered under pects in dealing with challenges
5 companies in race for 5G
emerging from the digital economy.
the Companies Act 2013, and should be
private network licence the occupant of the area where this li- According to sources, the panel will be
Major enterprises have commenced cence will be leased. Furthermore, in chaired by Corporate Affairs Secretary
taking the first steps to deploy private case the applicant is seeking direct as- Manoj Govil. One of the main tasks of
5G networks in India. According to top signment of the spectrum from the gov- the panel is to review whether exist-
sources at the Department of Telecom- ernment, its net worth should not be less ing provisions in the Competition Act,
munications (DoT), five companies than Rs. 100 crore. The validity period of 2022, and the rules and regulations
have applied for the Captive Non-Pub- the licence is 10 years. framed therein, are sufficient to deal
12 | 2023 | MARCH | BANKING FINANCE