The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has been asked by a parliamentary panel to consider the issue of long-term financial support for the set top box manufacturers in India in order to help them face competition from their Chinese counterparts.
The digitisation of cable TV sector was initiated by the earlier UPA government in order to phase out analogue TV distribution system and this meant requirement of lakhs of set top boxes. Here it was seen that lof these set top boxes were getting imported.
In a report based on the findings by Consumer Electronics and Appliances Manufacturers Association ( CEAMA) that was tabled in the Parliament last week, it is stated that there are 19 companies who are indigenously manufacturing set top boxes in the country. And these companies have sufficient capacity to meet the demands of the country. The problem though is Chinese lenders were extending easy long term credit to Indian importers buying set top boxes manufactured in China and this is creating a stiff competition for local manufacturers.
“The ministry may also think in terms of increasing the allocation for Mission Digitisation (for cable TV) which at present is merely taking care of procedural requirement to support the needs of domestic manufacturers. This will not only give a further boost to ‘Make in India’ initiative of the government but also help in employment generation in a big way,” the panel said in its report.
By Atanu Kumar Das
