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Telecom PLI plan

All major mobile component manufacturers of the world are expanding their powerful footprints in India.

Big push for Telecom sector, Govt clears ₹12K cr PLI plan

The Narendra Modi government has approved the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) plan for Telecom and Networking Products. This approval comes in the wake success reportsof the PLI related to Mobile and component manufacturing, which was announced in April 2020 during the height of Covid pandemic. In spite of 31st July 2020 being the last date for applying, it received a resounding response. All major mobile component manufacturers of the world are expanding their powerful footprints in India by making investments, starting exports and giving jobs to thousands of Indians.

Today’s Cabinet decision addresses another component of Atmanirbhar Bharat to make India a global hub of manufacturing telecom equipment including core transmission equipment, 4G/5G Next Generation Radio Access Network and Wireless Equipment, Access & Customer Premises Equipment (CPE), Internet of Things (IoT) Access Devices, Other Wireless Equipment and Enterprise equipment like Switches, Routers etc.

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The scheme was finalized after widespread consultations with stakeholders like manufacturers, industry leaders and associations. The core component of this scheme is to offset the huge import of telecom equipment worth more than Rs 50 thousand crore and reinforce it with “Made in India” products both for domestic markets and exports.

Features of Telecom PLI plan:

  • The scheme outlay is Rs 12,195 crore over five years.
  • The eligibility for the scheme will be subject to achievement of a minimum threshold of cumulative incremental investment and incremental sales of manufactured goods net of taxes
  • Financial Year 2019-20 shall be treated as the Base Year for computation of cumulative incremental sales of manufactured goods net of taxes.
  • For MSMEs, one per cent (1%) higher incentive is proposed in year 1, year 2 and year 3.
  • Minimum Investment threshold for MSME has been kept at Rs 10 Crore and for others at Rs 100 crore.
  • Once qualified, the investor will be incentivized up to 20 times of minimum investment threshold enabling them to utilize their unused capacity.
  • The scheme will be operational from 1st April 2021.
  • This scheme also addresses local manufacturing in MSME category because Government desires MSMEs to play an important role in the telecom sector and come out as national champions.
  • It is expected that the scheme will bring an investment of more than Rs 3,000 crore and generate huge direct and indirect employment and taxes both.

The government expects that the scheme will lead to Rs 2,44,200 crore incremental production of telecom equipment in the country in the next five years.

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