Corporates have stake in India's growth story, says Sibal

Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal believes that communication is fundamental to the growth of human beings despite a digital divide. "It's time for corporate sector to move from CSR to GSR (global social responsibility), so as to bridge the gap," he said at the 7th NTA ICT World Communication awards program hosted by CMAI and ITU-APT.

Sibal also feels that the telecom revolution has done significantly less to the domestic industry. "Mobile devices, including components and chips are being imported. Therefore, it could not help in creating jobs and manufacturing facilities within India and leaving country less empowered," the minister stressed.

The companies, he said should ensure India's prosperity, while making successful business out of it. Broadband revolution, he said, would not pick up, unless affordable devices are provided. "It's time to strengthen the bottom of the pyramid. The corporate sector has a stake in India's growth story," added Sibal.

Minister of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) Farooq Abdullah said that India is currently importing 80 per cent of its energy needs and still has deficit. "We have to utilize the natural resources to make a better world to live in. "Prices for renewable energy are coming down and individuals especially the telecom companies should change their mindset," Abdullah said.

DoT secretary MF Farooqui said that National Innovation Centre is one of the government top priorities, while domestic manufacturing is their ambitious agenda to open up immense opportunities for domestics industry. "Industry and government needs to work together. Preferential Market Access (PMA) policy is fully WTO complaint and offers opportunities for domestic sector," he said.

India, Farooqui said, has seen high growth in telecom which grew at 64 per cent CAGR during the last decade. Broadband, he said, still has only 15 million connections against the target of 175 million by 2017. "NOFN is going in full swing and is intended to complete in one year. It'll give impetus to telecom sector," he added.

Two-third of the world's mobile connections are in the developing nations, therefore, he said that there is a need to work on standardization and harmonization. Farooqui also assured the global industry representatives that India, as a responsible partner, would work closely with the ITU.

ITU secretary-general Hamadoun Toure said that India should continue to empower girls in ICT, and they would support similar initiatives of the government. "India is the fastest growing ICT markets, and will have largest number of mobile connections soon," he said.

Toure said that UNESCO in collaboration with ITU had set up Broadband Commission in 2010 to advocate importance of broadband services for digital development. The commission, he said would be meeting on May 17 th in Geneva to further discuss the challenges.