New Delhi, Dec 23 (KNN) With the aim to strengthen telecom manufacturing ecosystem in the country, the department of telecom (DoT) has constituted four task forces, an official memorandum said.

Earlier this month, the telecom department had consulted 42 chiefs of telecom gear makers regarding the need to create a task force to resolve issues concerning the telecom industry.

Under one of the task forces, DoT has sought recommendation for a phased manufacturing programme for telecom gear manufacturing to boost domestic component supply chain ecosystem as well as attract global players. This task force will be co-chaired by state-run research arm C-DoT CEO RK Upadhyay, the memorandum dated December 20 said.

In 2016, the government notified a phased manufacturing programme for developing the mobile phone manufacturing ecosystem in the country.

Under the chairmanship of Tejas Networks CEO Sanjay Nayak, the second task force will study the present ecosystem and recommend to the government potential 4-5 chip developments under scheme like Telecom Technology Development Fund, Semicon Policy and policy intervention required for reducing dependence on imports.

The objective of the third task force will be to study on the time taken in custom clearance and air cargo movement, infrastructure available and suggest measures for improving lead time and reduce inventory in production and sales, setting up Free Trade Warehousing Zones at key airports etc to resolve logistics issues.

Another task force set up under chairmanship of telecom gear maker’s body VOICE director general RK Bhatnagar will identify new opportunities for development and manufacturing of 5G products in the country that will be required under Digital India, data centres, railway modernisation etc.  (KNN Bureau)