NASSCOM estimates 730 million Internet users in the country by 2020

NASSCOM estimates 730 million Internet users in the country by 2020

Question: Who is the current chairman of NASSCOM?
(a) C P Gurnani
(b) Aditya Bidla
(c) Aditya Puri
(d) Arundhati Bhattacharya
Ans: (a)

  • On 27th March, 2017, Minister of Communications Shri Manoj Sinha informed the Upper House that as per information received from Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), there were 391.50 million Internet subscribers as on 31.12.2016.
  • Government expects the number of internet users to increase in the country due to fast adoption of digital technology.
  • In this context as per National Association of Software & Services Companies (NASSCOM) –Akamai report launched on 17.08.2016 regarding “The Future of Internet in India”, 730 million Internet users are anticipated in the country by 2020.
  • The National Telecom Policy-2012 has envisaged 600 million broadband connections by the year 2020 at minimum 2 Mbps download speed.
  • Government has allocated 965 Megahertz spectrum through auction in October 2016 to various telecom service providers for access services. This will enable the telecom service providers to roll-out 3G and 4G services which will facilitate proliferation of high speed internet facility.
  • Further, for provision of broadband facility in rural areas, BharatNet project is also being implemented to provide 100 Mbps broadband connectivity to all Gram Panchayats (approx. 2.5 lakh) in the country by using an optimal mix of underground fibre, fibre over power lines, radio and satellite media.
  • NASSCOM is the industry association for the IT-BPM sector in India. A not-for-profit organisation funded by the industry, its objective is to build a growth led and sustainable technology and business services sector in the country.
  • It was established in 1988 and it’s membership has grown over the years and currently stands at 1,400. These companies represent 95 percent of industry revenues and have enabled the association to spearhead initiatives and programs to build the sector in the country and globally. Mr. CP Gurnani is the chairman of NASSCOM for 2016-2017.

Reference:
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=159967
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/digital-india-internet-users/1/913797.html