Haryana govt plans new Communication and Connectivity Policy

Haryana government is finalizing a new Communication and Connectivity Policy in consultation with telecom tower companies with a view to provide a major push to telecom and communication infrastructure in the state.
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today held a meeting here to discuss the operational issues and other guidelines concerning the new policy.
He directed officers of the Electronics and Information Technology Department to incorporate the suggestions made by the telecom tower companies while finalizing the new policy.
The meeting was attended by representatives of major telecom tower companies, an official release said.
The chief minister said that the state government was making concrete efforts to encourage the use of latest technology in the telecom and communication sector.

"We want to connect every village of the state with Internet and offer latest technology on a par with the urban areas to facilitate rural citizens," he said.

"Uninterrupted communication system through technology advancements should be developed in the entire state so that people can get all kinds of digital facilities, which would give a big push to cashless transactions in the state," Khattar added.
Khattar directed the officers that permissions and clearances for setting up telecom towers should be made time-bound and given through a single roof system under the ambit of the Electronics and Information Technology Department.
The proposed policy would bring about uniformity in the rules for laying telecom and communication infrastructure in the state.

It was felt that in the absence of policy, various local bodies have been shutting down telecom towers for different reasons, including non-payment of fee and taxes.
The chief minister also said that such towers would not be disconnected until the new policy is finalized.
He sought details of the infrastructure created by the telecom tower companies both in rural and urban areas.
An offer to set up telecom towers on government properties was also made at the meeting, the release said.