K Rajaraman takes over as the Telecom secretary in India
K. Rajaraman today took over as the new telecom secretary, replacing Anshu Prakash who retired on yesterday. Rajaraman, a Tamil Nadu cadre 1989-batch Indian Administrative Services (IAS), was previously working as an additional secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA).
His appointment came just two weeks after the government announced wide ranging reforms in the telecom sector, including announcing steps to convert government’s dues to telcos as equity over time as equity over time in a bid to ensure a three-private player telecom market.
According to market observers, his appointment in the DoT as the secretary is seen as a step in the ambition of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. Rajaraman will be tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that the reforms are implemented without any hindrance and with speed, they say.
The industry body Cellular Operators Association of India tweeted: "We congratulate Shri K. Rajaraman on his appointment as Secretary, DoT, India. We look forward to working with him for the development and growth of the sector that is vital to the Government’s Digital India vision."
Rajaraman will have to take the call for the spectrum usage charge (SUC) which amounted to double taxation, redefining adjusted gross revenue (AGR), reducing the requirements of bank guarantees (BGs) and allowing telcos to surrender unused spectrum are some of the reforms the government announced last week.
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