New Delhi, July 24 (IANS) The production-linked incentive (PLI) beneficiary companies in the telecom sector have collectively invested Rs 4,305 crore, generating sales worth Rs 85,391 crore which includes exports of Rs 16,414 crore (till May 31, 2025), according to the government.

This investment has also resulted in employment for 28,067 persons, said Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development, Dr Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha.

The PLI scheme for telecom and networking products aims to boost domestic manufacturing with an outlay of Rs 12,195 crore. A total of 42 companies — 28 MSMEs and 14 non-MSMEs — have been approved as beneficiaries under the PLI scheme.

Further, to enable roll out of 5G services, access spectrum in various spectrum bands for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) including 700 MHz, 3300 MHz and 26 GHz bands has been assigned to Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) through spectrum auctions conducted in the year 2022 and 2024.

The successful bidders, who acquire spectrum through auctions, are permitted to deploy any IMT technology, including 5G.

“The Postal Department has undertaken new initiatives such as the digitisation of Post Office Savings Bank services, the transition of Postal Life Insurance to a paperless and online system, the establishment of Dak Ghar Niryat Kendras and collaboration with e-commerce entities in rural and urban areas to promote banking, insurance, and e-commerce in rural regions,” said the minister.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has undertaken multiple initiatives to promote innovation and domestic manufacturing in the communications sector.

Under the ‘Digital Communications Innovation Square (DCIS)’ scheme, DoT has supported 126 projects led by start-ups and MSMEs, with a total budget outlay of Rs 108 crore, to foster the development of advanced technologies, including indigenous 5G, said the minister.

The BharatNet project is being implemented in a phased manner to provide broadband connectivity to all Gram Panchayats (GPs) in the country and so far, 2,14,325 GPs have been made service ready, he added.

—IANS

na/