K. Rajaraman takes over as new telecom secretary of India

Tamil Nadu cadre 1989-batch Indian Administrative Services (IAS), K Rajaraman took charge as the new telecom secretary, replacing Anshu Prakash. Rajaraman was previously working as an additional secretary for investments in the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) with key responsibility areas such as Investment Protection Treaties (NPT) negotiations, overseeing the National

Investment and Infrastructure Fund. Rajaraman also worked towards fostering economic relations worldwide particularly G20 and BRICS countries. He holds a bachelors’ degree in engineering and a master’s degree in financial management. He joins as new secretary when the governments is making efforts to help debtridden telecom operators sail through troubled waters with telecom reforms, while making sure that there is no impact on the national exchequer from the relief given to them.

Rajaraman also takes over a day after the Department of Telecommunications (DOT) sent demand notices to telcos Airtel and Vodafone Idea, seeking payment of Rs 3,050 crore cumulative penalties in three weeks in the points of interconnection case, a move which is set to kick off another round of bitter legal tussles. He will have to deal with the responsibility of ensuring that the recently announced reforms are implemented without any hindrance and with speed, say experts.

Doing away with spectrum usage charge (SUC) which amounted to double taxation, redefining adjusted gross revenue (AGR), reducing the requirements of bank guarantees (BGS) and allowing telcos to surrender unused spectrum are some of the reforms the government announced last week. Digital Infrastructure Providers Association (DIPA) said that with Rajaraman’s administrative experience and dedication, the Indian telecom infrastructure sector will be immensely benefited. ■