No deferring of cable tv digitization: Chief Secretary

Saying it would be implemented from July one and there would be no deferring of the deadline, Ghosh told reporters after the meeting that he had suggested to Verma that the I and B ministry hold a meeting with "all the stake-holders (including the service providers) regarding the compulsory use of the set top box.

"There had been detailed discussion on digitilation and the problem of the availablity of the set top boxes," he said.

As per the I&B Ministry plans, it would be obligatory for every cable operator to provide signals in digital addressable mode from 1st July 2012.

The first phase of the digitisation move covers the four metro cities.

West Bengal government's urban development minister Firhad Hakim had earlier claimed here that the deadline was fixed "without consulting states".