Date:23/01/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/01/23/stories/2003012303491200.htm

National

All issues will be resolved: Mahajan

By Our Special Correspondent

The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, the Union Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Pramod Mahajan, and the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, at the inauguration of the GITEX exhibition in Hyderabad on Wednesday. — Photo: Satish

HYDERABAD JAN. 22. The Union Minister for Communication and Information Technology, Pramod Mahajan, has assured the telecom industry that all issues involved in the ongoing tariff war will be resolved within a few weeks and peace restored.

He was addressing delegates after inaugurating the India IT Forum (IITF) 2003 and the GITEX (Global IT Exposition) at the National Academy of Construction (NAC) Grounds here today.

Mr. Mahajan announced that Jammu and Kashmir would join the mobile phone network from April 13 and even places such as Vaishnodevi, which was visited by over 2.5 million tourists every year, would be connected. This would help BSNL net more revenues.

He sought to allay fears of terrorists using mobile phones, saying that it would actually help in better crime detection.

Citing ICT revolution as an example of prices constantly coming down, he said this would lead to an increase in the number of subscribers. While there were 10 million mobile phone users in India in 2002, it was expected to go up to 25 million in 2003 and the total users was projected at 65 million in 2004 and 100 million by 2005.

The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, requested Mr. Mahajan to bring in a policy to promote hardware.

He supported issues raised by Abraham Thomas, chairman, CII National Committee, who wanted excise duty on personal computers reduced to 6 per cent (from 16 per cent) for greater affordability and 100 per cent annual depreciation for IT products. Mr. Naidu gave credit to Mr. Mahajan for deregulation of the telecom sector and dropping prices.

The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, said his State had the potential for hydel power generation of 20,000 MW.

Keith Whitson, group chief executive, HSBC, said India and China were showing consistent growth in a scenario of global slowdown. B. Ramalinga Raju, chairman, Satyam Computer Services, said India would emerge as a services hub of the world and there was tremendous potential for manufacturing sector also.

Omar bin Sulaiman, CEO, Internet City, said there was a 50 per cent increase in exhibitors at the GITEX. A memorandum of understanding was also signed between the Hyderabad-based Pioneer Online and Talafhone (of Canada).