100% FDI for DTH sector, licence to be issued for 20 years, says Prakash Javadekar

Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar has said that DTH licences will now be issued for 20 years and that the licence fee will be collected quarterly. He also said 100% FDI in the sector can happen under the revised guidelines.

"There are close to 18 crore televisions in the country out of which close to 6 crore houses avail of DTH services. 100% FDI for the sector was already approved. However, the I&B guidelines did not allow them to get the benefit of 100% FDI. Only 49% FDI was possible according to the earlier guidelines. However, now 100% FDI can happen."

"DTH licence to be issued for 20 years and the licence fee will be collected quarterly,” he added.

The minister also said the licence fee will be similar to the telecom sector, adding this will allow a level playing field in the sector.

Reacting to the announcement, Harit Nagpal, MD and CEO, Tata Sky, said, “We are grateful to Javadekar for resolving the long-standing impasse on the DTH licence policy, which will provide certainty to the sector. We look forward to a level playing field via parity of licence fee with Cable TV, which too is licensed by MIB and follows the same prices and margins as regulated by TRAI’s NTO.”

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