After months of wait, the telecom operators in India were granted the relief package that they can use for their dues. COAI, the representative body of Indian telecom operators has claimed that the relief package is a clear indication of the intention of the Indian government towards the much-needed structural reforms that will be taken towards the telecom industry. Notably, COAI represents the telecom operators in the country such as Reliance Jio, Airtel and Vodafone Idea. It claims that the upcoming structural reforms could go a long way in relieving the financial stress faced by the operators in the sector right now. Also, these reforms are expected to boost investments, offer a plethora of choices for customers and bring in healthy competition in this sector. The structural reforms related announcement is in hand with the long-standing risks faced by the telecom industry.
Reforms For Telecom Sector
The COAI stated that they welcome the bold and forward-looking decision that has been taken by the government for the telecom sector. The representative body of the Indian telecom operators expressed their thanks to the Hon’ble Prime Minister for recognising the sector as a crucial one that has played a major role in growing the country’s economy amidst the pandemic crisis. The body went on to state that the decision that was revealed by the Hon’ble Minister of Communications indicates the Government’s intent for the much-needed structural reforms in the telecommunications sector. It is said that this will play a part in the success of Digital India and accelerate the journey to meet the goals related to the Digital India initiative that will deliver ample benefit to the consumers. On Wednesday, the Union Cabinet of India approved a slew of structural and process reforms for the telecom sector. The government noted that these reforms are expected to protect and generate employment opportunities, protect the interests of consumers, promote healthy competition, infuse liquidity, reduce the regulatory burden on telecom operators and encourage investment. Already, the government has expressed its intention to allow more telecom operators to enter the segment in the country to make it highly competitive for consumers.