Executive Summary:
This document contains the Telecommunications Removal of Difficulties Amendment Order, 2025. It addresses difficulties in crediting sums to the Digital Bharat Nidhi, which hindered achieving objectives under section 25 of the Telecommunications Act, 2023. The order amends the Telecommunications Removal of Difficulties Order, 2024 and comes into force on the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Order Details:**
* The order is called the Telecommunications Removal of Difficulties Amendment Order, 2025.
* It amends the Telecommunications Removal of Difficulties Order, 2024.
* It comes into force on the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.
* **Background:**
* The Telecommunications Removal of Difficulties Order, 2024, was in effect from June 26, 2024, until April 25, 2025.
* It addressed crediting sums of money to the Digital Bharat Nidhi for Universal Service Obligation under licenses granted on or after June 26, 2024.
* **Problem Addressed:**
* The order addresses the difficulty in crediting sums of money payable towards Universal Service Obligation Fund under licenses granted on or after April 26, 2025, to the Digital Bharat Nidhi.
* **Amendment:**
* Paragraph 1 of the Telecommunications Removal of Difficulties Order, 2024, is amended by substituting a new subparagraph 2.
* The new subparagraph 2 states: "It shall come into force on the date of its publication in the Official Gazette."
Impact Analysis:
* **Central Government:**
* Impact: The Central Government is responsible for the execution and enforcement of the order.
* Action Required: Publish the order in the Official Gazette.
* **Department of Telecommunications:**
* Impact: The Department is responsible for implementing the provisions of the order.
* Action Required: Ensure compliance with the order regarding the crediting of funds to the Digital Bharat Nidhi.
* **License Holders (granted on or after June 26, 2024):**
* Impact: They are required to credit sums of money payable towards Universal Service Obligation to the Digital Bharat Nidhi.
* Action Required: Comply with the order by crediting the required sums to the Digital Bharat Nidhi.
Key Entities Referenced
Telecommunications Act, 2023: An act of parliament that provides the legal framework for the telecommunications sector. Mentioned in the context of exercising powers conferred by subsection 1 of section 58 of the Telecommunications Act, 2023 44 of 2023
Telecommunications Removal of Difficulties Order, 2024: An order issued by the Central Government to address difficulties related to crediting sums of money to the Digital Bharat Nidhi. It was in force from 26th June, 2024 until 25th April, 2025.
Digital Bharat Nidhi: A fund to which sums of money are credited, particularly those payable towards Universal Service Obligation under licenses. It is mentioned in the context of crediting sums of money payable towards Universal Service Obligation Fund under the licenses granted on or after 26th April, 2025.
Universal Service Obligation: A regulatory mechanism to ensure widespread access to telecom services, often in rural or underserved areas. Payments towards USO are now being credited to the Digital Bharat Nidhi.
Indian Telegraph Act, 1885: An act related to telegraph services. Mentioned in the context of licenses granted under the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885.
Telecommunications Removal of Difficulties Amendment Order, 2025: An amendment order to the Telecommunications Removal of Difficulties Order, 2024.
Ministry of Communications: The government ministry responsible for telecommunications policy and regulation. The Department of Telecommunications falls under this ministry.
New Delhi, Delhi: The location where the order was issued.
रजिस्ट्री स.ं डी.एल.- 33004/99 REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99
सी.जी.-डी.एल.-अ.-03072025-264326
CG-DxLx-xEG-I0D3H0x7x2x0 25-264326
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असाधारण
EXTRAORDINARY
भाग II—खण् ड 3—उप-खण्ड (ii)
PART II—Section 3—Sub-section (ii)
प्राजधकार स ेप्रकाजित
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY
स.ं 2895] नई ददल्ली, बुधिार , िुलाई 2, 2025/आषाढ़ 11, 1947
No. 2895] NEW DELHI, WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 2025/ASHADHA 11, 1947
दरू सचं ार मत्रं ालय
(दरू सचं ार जिभाग)
आदिे
नई ददल्ली, 2 िुलाई, 2025
का.आ. 2962 (अ).— केंद्रीय सरकार ने दरू संचार अजधजनयम, 2023 (2023 का 44) (उक्त अजधजनयम) की धारा
58 की उपधारा (1) द्वारा प्रदत्त िजक्तयों का प्रयोग करत े हुए, जडजिटल भारत जनजध म ेंधनराजि, िो 26 िून, 2024 को या
उसके पश्चात् प्रदत्त अनज्ञु जियों के अधीन सािवभौजमक सेिा बाध्यता के मद्दे संदेय थी, िमा करने के प्रयोिन हते ु 26 िनू ,
2024 से लागू दरू संचार (कठिनाईयां दरू दकया िाना) आदेि 2024 दकया था ;
और दरू संचार (कठिनाईयां दरू दकया िाना) आदेि 2024 26 िून, 2024 को प्रिृत्त हुआ और यह उक्त तारीख स े
दस मास की अिजध के अिसान तक प्रिृत्त था ;
और 25 अप्रलै , 2025 को उक्त दस मास की अिजध का अिसान हो गया ;
और उक्त अजधजनयम की धारा 3 के उपबंध, जिनके अनुसरण में प्राजधकार प्रदत्त दकए िाने ह,ैं अभी तक प्रिृत्त नहीं
हुए ह ैंऔर िे जनयम, िो उक्त उपबंधों को प्रभािी करन े के जलए आिश्यक ह,ैं भी अभी तक नहीं बनाए गए ह ैं ;
4361 GI/2025 (1)2 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART II—SEC. 3(ii)]
और जडजिटल भारत जनजध म ें 26 अप्रैल, 2025 को या उसके पश्चात् प्रदत्त अनुज्ञजियों के अधीन सािवभौजमक सेिा
बाध्यता जनजध के मद्द े संदेय धनराजियां िमा करन े में कठिनाई आ सकती ह,ै िो उक्त अजधजनयम की धारा 25 के अधीन
उद्देश्यों की प्राजि म ेंबाधा हो सकती ह ै ;
और उक्त कठिनाई को दरू दकया िाना समीचीन ह ै ;
और दरू संचार (कठिनाईयां दरू दकया िाना) आदेि 2024 का पैरा 2 स्ट्ितः पणू व ह ै िो यह उपबंध करता ह ै दक 26
िून, 2024 को या उसके पश्चात् प्रदत्त अनुज्ञजियों के अधीन सािवभौजमक सेिा बाध्यता के मद्दे संदेय धनराजियां उस समय
तक िब आदेि प्रिृत्त ह,ै जडजिटल भारत जनजध में िमा की िाएंगी और िे सभी कारविाई, िो सािवभौजमक सेिा बाध्यता के
मद्दे 26 िनू , 2024 को या उसके पश्चात ् भारतीय टेलीग्राफ अजधजनयम, 1885 (1885 का 13) के अधीन प्रदत्त अनज्ञु जियों
के संबंध में केंद्रीय सरकार द्वारा की गई ह ैंको उक्त अजधजनयम के अधीन की गई कारविाईयों के रूप में समझा िाएगा ।
अतः अब, केंद्रीय सरकार उक्त अजधजनयम की धारा 58 की उपधारा (1) द्वारा प्रदत्त िजक्तयों का प्रयोग करत े हुए
26 अप्रलै , 2025, से रािपत्र में इस अजधसूचना के प्रकािन की तारीख तक जसिाय उन बातों के िो की गई या जिनके दकए
िाने का लोप दकया गया के सबं ंध म ें दरू संचार (कठिनाईयां दरू दकया िाना) आदिे 2024 का संिोधन जनम्नजलजखत आदिे
करती ह ैअथावत ्:-
1. (1) इस आदेि का संजिि नाम दरू संचार (कठिनाईयां दरू दकया िाना) संिोधन आदेि 2025 ह।ै
(2) यह रािपत्र म ेंइसके प्रकािन की तारीख को प्रित्तृ होगा।
2. दरू संचार (कठिनाईया ं दरू दकया िाना) आदेि 2024 के पैरा 1 के उपपरै ा (2) के स्ट्थान पर जनम्नजलजखत उपपरै ा
रखा िाएगा, अथावत् :-
“(2) यह रािपत्र म ेंइसके प्रकािन की तारीख को प्रिृत्त होगा।”।
[फा.स.ं 17-01/2020-आरईएसटीिी.(िोल्यूम-IV)]
देिेन्द्द्र कुमार राय, संयुक्त सजचि
ठटप्पण :- दरू संचार (कठिनाईयां दरू दकया िाना) आदेि 2024 भारत के रािपत्र असाधारण में अजधसूचना संखयांक का.आ.
3948(अ) तारीख 13 जसतंबर, 2024 द्वारा प्रकाजित दकया गया था।[भाग II—खण् ड 3(ii)] भारत का रािपत्र : असाधारण 3
MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS
(Department of Telecommunications)
ORDER
New Delhi, the 2nd July, 2025.
S.O. 2962 (E).— Whereas the Central Government, in exercise of powers conferred by sub-section
(1) of section 58 of the Telecommunications Act, 2023 (44 of 2023) (the said Act), made the
Telecommunications (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2024 with effect from 26th June, 2024 for the purpose
of crediting of sums of money to Digital Bharat Nidhi which were payable towards Universal Service
Obligation under licenses granted on or after the 26th June, 2024;
And whereas, the Telecommunications (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2024 came in force on
26th June, 2024 and was in force till the expiry of a period of ten months from the said date;
And whereas, the said period of ten months expired on the 25th April, 2025;
And whereas, the provisions of section 3 of the said Act in accordance with which authorisations are
to be granted have not yet come in force and the rules, which are necessary to give effect to the said
provisions, have also not yet been made;
And whereas, difficulty may arise in crediting sums of money payable towards Universal Service
Obligation Fund under the licenses granted on or after 26th April, 2025 to the Digital Bharat Nidhi, which
may hinder in achieving the objectives under section 25 of the said Act;
And whereas, it is expedient to remove the said difficulty;
And whereas, paragraph 2 of the Telecommunications (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2024 is self-
contained, which provides that the sums of money payable towards Universal Service Obligation under
licenses granted on or after the 26th June, 2024, shall be credited to the Digital Bharat Nidhi till such time the
said Order is in force and all actions that may be taken by the Central Government in respect of licenses
granted under the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 (13 of 1885) on or after the 26th June, 2024 towards Universal
Service Obligation shall be deemed to be actions taken under the said Act.
Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 58 of the said Act,
except as respects things done or omitted to be done on and from the 26th April, 2025 till the date of
publication of this notification in the Official Gazette, the Central Government hereby makes the following
Order to amend the Telecommunications (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2024, namely:—
1. (1) This Order may be called the Telecommunications (Removal of Difficulties) Amendment Order,
2025.
(2) It shall come into force on the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.
2. In Telecommunications (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2024, in paragraph 1, for sub-
paragraph (2), following sub-paragraph shall be substituted, namely:–
“(2) It shall come into force on the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.”.
[F.No. 17-01/2020-Restg.(Vol IV)]
DEVENDRA KUMAR RAI, Jt.Secy.
Note.- The Telecommunications (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2024 was published in the Gazette of India,
Extraordinary vide notification number S.O. 3948(E), dated the 13th September, 2024.
Uploaded by Dte. of Printing at Government of India Press, Ring Road, Mayapuri, New Delhi-110064
and Published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi-110054.