Taking over the charge of Telecom and Information Technology Ministry, Ravi Shankar Prasad on Tuesday said that his first priority would be to make the department transparent.

“I am aware of the problems of this department. The telecom department has been in the news for many of the wrong reasons and one of my first priorities will be to set things right,” he told reporters here after taking charge of the department.

Prasad said his focus areas as the minister of this department would be to ensure quality of service "for the sake of consumers’ interest and secondly to restore investors confidence''.

100% FDI

“I do acknowledge that the way things have happened in the past have dented investors’ confidence. We need to restore that and that will be my first try because in telecom industry, 100 per cent FDI is permitted.”

Therefore, the 100 per cent in FDI policy must be quickened and come to India under a transparent regime, he said.

Some other priorities would be to improve the quality of services in the country, including in the Northeast and Jammu and Kashmir, Andaman and Nicobar and more rural areas, where network should be connected.

Broadband Highway

He said just like Atal Bihari Vajpayee regime was known for Highways (roads infrastructure), the Narendra Modi Government would be known for Broadband Highway.

Similarly, for the IT department, Prasad said since information technology is an area of great growth in India and as a minister, his first priorities would be to further boost some of the policies and promote electronic manufacturing in the country.

“Manufacturing as a whole needs a big push in India, but manufacturing of electronics sector can be given further boost, which can bring considerable number of employees,” he added.

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