Ministry of Communication

About Ministry

Ministry of Communication was carved out of Ministry of Communication and Information Technology on 19 July 2016. It consists of two departments –

• Department of Telecommunications
  • 1. Also known as the Door Sanchar Vibhag, this department concerns itself with policy, licensing and coordination matters relating to telegraphs, telephones, wireless, data, facsimile and telematic services and other like forms of communications.
    2. Objectives of DoT includes – Providing e-infrastructure for delivery of e-services,  Implementation of R&D Framework, Securing India’s cyber space, Enhancing India’s role in Global Platforms of Internet Governance etc.

• Department of Posts
  • 1. The Department of Posts (DoP) operates one of the oldest and most extensive mail services in the world. The DoP is governed by the Indian Post Office Acts, 1898.
    2. Other than the traditional postage service in order to keep up with the age many new services have been introduced by the department. Such as – e-Post, e-BillPost, Postal Life insurance, International money transfers, Mutual funds, Banking etc.

DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATION (DoT)

 

BHARAT NET PROJECT

Objectives

• • To provide broadband connectivity to Gram Panchayats (GP) through optical fibre network.

Salient Features

• • It aims to provide a minimum bandwidth of 100 Mbps to each of the 2.5 lakhs GPs.
  • It will facilitate delivery of e-governance, e-health, e-education, e-banking, public internet access, G2C, B2B, P2P, B2C etc., weather, agricultural and other services to rural India.
  • It is the new brand name of NOFN (National Optic Fibre Network) which is being implemented in three phases.
    • 1. First phase – Envisaged to provide one lakh gram panchayats with broadband connectivity by laying underground optic fibre cable lines with deadline of 31st December 2017, which was achieved.
      2. Second Phase – It will provide connectivity to all 2,50,000 Panchayats using an optimal miz of underground fibre, fibre over power lines, radio and satellite media to be completed by March 2019.
      3. Third Phase – It will be implemented from 2019 to 2023 during which state-of-the-art, future-proof network, including fibre between districts and blocks, with ring topology would be created.
  • It is being implemented by a special purpose vehicle named Bharat Broadband Network Ltd. set up under Companies Act.
  • It is being funded by the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF).
  • Project Execution – by BSNL, Railtel and Power Grid.

 

PANDIT DEEN DAYAL UPADHAYAY SANCHAR KAUSHAL VIKAS PRATISTHAN SCHEME

Objectives

• • To supplement telecom skilled manpower creation for the growth of telecom sector and to generate livelihood for the youth of the nation.

Salient Features

• • In pilot phase, it will train 10,000 people from UP, MP, Bihar, Odisha, Punjab and Haryana and train 10,000 people in 1st phase on a pilot basis.
  • DoT plans to establish more than 1,000 Sanchar Kaushal Vikas Pratisthan which will train youth according to the National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) and local needs of the telecom sector.
  • The government will also reward people doing innovative work in the telecom space.

 

TARANG SANCHAR

Objectives

• • for Electromagnetic frequency (EMF) Emission Compliance by the mobile towers.

Salient Features

• • It is a web portal for information sharing on Mobile Towers and Electromagnetic frequency (EMF) Emission Compliance.
  • It has been developed in Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode by Department of Telecommunications with Industry.
  • Indian norms had prescribed 10 times stricter limits for radiation emission in comparison to global standards.
  • Any person can request for EMF emission measurement at a location.

 

DEPARTMENT OF POSTS

 

DARPAN (DIGITAL ADVANCEMENT OF RURAL POST OFFICE FOR A NEW INDIA) PROJECT

• • It is an IT modernisation project that offers core banking services to customers of post office

Objectives

• • To improve the quality of service and achieve “financial inclusion” of un-banked rural population.

Salient Features

• • As part of IT modernization project, it intends to provide a low power technology solution to each Branch Postmaster (BPM) which will enable 1.29 Rural Lakhs Branch Post Offices (BOs).
  • Recently, DARPAN-PLI application was launched for seamless collection of premium for Postal Life Insurance (PLI) and Rural Postal Life Insurance (RPLI) policies.
  • Benefits
    • 1. Increase the rural reach
      2. Improve mail operations processes by allowing for automated booking and delivery Increase revenue using retail post business
      3. Make disbursements for social security schemes such as MGNREGA

 

SAMPOORNA BIMA GRAM YOJANA

• • Launched in 2017 by Department of posts under Ministry of Communication.

Objectives

• • To expand the clientele base of Postal Life Insurance (PLI) by providing affordable life insurance services to rural people.

Salient Features

• • This scheme will bring all villages under Saansad Aadarsh Gram Yojana within its ambit
  • Target
    • At least one village that has minimum 100 households will be identified in each of the districts
    • Effort will be made to cover all households of such identified village with a minimum of one RPLI (Rural Postal Life Insurance) policy each.

 

DEEN DAYAL SPARSH YOJANA

• • SPARSH stands for Scholarship for Promotion of Aptitude & Research in Stamps as a Hobby.

Objectives

• • To increase the collection and study of postal stamps.

Salient Features

• • It is a Pan India scholarship program for school children (Standard VI to IX) to increase the reach of Philately.
  • It would award annual scholarship of INR 6000 to children of Standard VI to IX having good academic record and also pursuing Philately as a hobby through a competitive selection process in all postal circles.
  • Selection – on basis of evaluation of Project work on Philately & performance in Philately Quiz conducted by the Circles.

 

To read and learn about Government Schemes and Programs related to other Ministries,  Click Here. (Notes on all Government Ministries Schemes and Programs)