The Department of Telecommunications is working on identifying additional spectrum to address Indian telecom operators' demand for a "larger chunk" of airwaves to rollout 5G services. DoT has allocated the 3300 MHz to 3600 MHz band for 5G services. Worldwide, the allocation of bands for 5G services is from 3300 MHz to 4200 MHz. India doesn’t have that much bandwidth, so we are looking for an additional 150 MHz,” a senior official said. Telcos had previously urged the telecom department to ensure optimum availability of spectrum in the 3300-3600 mid-band earmarked for 5G services.

"With an aim to qualitatively improve the ease of doing business of the IT industry particularly business process outsourcing (BPO) and IT-enabled services, the government has drastically simplified the other service provider (OSP) guidelines of the department of telecom. The new guidelines reduce the compliance burden of the BPO industry. It is clarified that the registration requirement for OSPs has been done away with altogether and the BPO industry engaged in data related work have been taken out of the ambit of OSP regulations.

MEITY has drafted a Data Centre policy to benefit the Data Centre park developers/Data Centre operators as well as the allied ecosystem of Data Centre sector. The policy intends to ensure sustainable and trusted Data Centre capacity within the country. This policy framework shall be followed by a detailed scheme with implementation guideline document providing the particulars of various fiscal and non-fiscal incentives to be provided to the sector by the Central and State Government. The Policy document is attached for your reference.

India's power ministry has proposed pushing back the deadlines for adoption of new emission norms by coal-fired power plants, saying "an unworkable time schedule" would burden utilities and lead to an increase in power tariffs. India initially had set a 2017 deadline for thermal power plants to comply with emissions standards for installing Flue Gas Desulphurization (FGD) units that cut emissions of toxic sulphur dioxide. That was later changed to varying deadlines for different regions, ending in 2022. 

India is planning to replace retiring coal-fired power plants with renewable generating capacity in a bid to cut the nation's carbon footprint. India is the world's second largest coal consumer after China, and the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases. Coal-fired plants currently account for over half its nearly 373 gigawatt (GW) power generating capacity. Many of those plants are getting retired. Some plants are already retired, and about 29 more plants are going to retire, and all that space will be occupied by renewable energy.  

NITI Aayog, Ministry of Power, Rockefeller Foundation, and Smart Power India launched the ‘Electricity Access in India and Benchmarking Distribution Utilities’ report.  Based on a primary survey conducted across 10 states––representing about 65% of the total rural population of India and with a sample size of more than 25,000, including households, commercial enterprises and institutions––the report assesses 25 distribution utilities.

IESA, India’s leading alliance on energy storage & e-mobility welcomes the Union Cabinet’s approval to introduce the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Enhancing India’s Manufacturing Capabilities and Enhancing Exports – Atmanirbhar Bharat. A total financial outlay of INR 1,45,980 crore (€18 bn) over a period of five years, of which, Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) battery has been approved a financial outlay of INR 18,100 crores (€2.25 bn).

• Testing of all equipment, components, and parts imported for use in the power Supply System and Network in the country to check for any kind of embedded malware/trojans/cyber threat and for adherence to Indian Standards. Read more/Download>>
• All Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOMs) to come under Energy Conservation (EC) Act, 2001. Read more/Download>>
• Amendments to the Guidelines for Tariff Based Competitive Bidding Process for Procurement of Round-The Clock Power from Grid Connected Renewable Energy Power Projects, complemented with Power from Coal Based Thermal Power Projects. Read more/Download>>

• Concept Note on Plan for one Solar City in Each State/ UT. Read more
• Amendments to the Guidelines for Tariff Based Competitive Bidding Process for Procurement of Power from Grid Connected Solar PV Power Projects. Read more/Download

The govt. has set up a 22-member inter-ministerial committee in strengthening the Capital Goods (CG) Sector through interventions that help the CG Sector in contributing more actively in the national goal of achieving a USD 5 trillion economy and a USD 1 trillion manufacturing sector. The IMC will help DHI in taking a holistic view for all the issues pertaining to the CG Sector. The Committee will look into on all such issues pertaining to the Capital Goods Sector including technology development, mother technology development, global value chains, testing, skill training, global standards, reciprocity issues, custom duties to make this sector globally competitive and to become the manufacturing hub for the world.