DECEMBER 20249GOVT'S RECENT INCENTIVE SCHEME TO PROMOTE TELECOM MANUFACTURINGNHPC LOOKING FOR LUCRATIVE WAYS TO DESILT HYDEL PLANTSThe government has paid 331.86 crore for FY 2021-22 to 18 of the 42 beneficiaries of the telecom PLI (production-linked incentive) scheme, according to a reply to one question in Parliament till October 31, 2024. Responding to a query in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Telecom Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar shared that the scheme's beneficiaries have created 25,359 jobs and recorded product sales of 67,708 crore, including exports worth 13,007 crore. This initiative will help fulfill one of the government's goals of promoting domestic telecom manufacturing and boosting economy.The top beneficiaries of the incentives include Jabil Circuit India, which got 78.62 crore, Nokia Solutions and Networks India 46.92 crore, and Tejas Networks 32.66 crore. Other key beneficiaries are technology vendors like Flextronics Technologies India, which received 30.6 crores, CommScope India 25.95 crore, and NeoLync Tele Communications 21.79 crore. Besides, CP Bharat Electronics was engaged, Rising Stars Hi-Tech also participated and received 12 crore, while Sanmina-SCI India and GX India received 11.74 crore. A few other companies under the scheme received incentives lower than 10 crore, indicating that the benefits were not limited to a few big firms but extended to a wide range of industry participants.The telecom PLI scheme includes 42 participants, out of which 28 are micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). In aggregate, these firms have planned investments worth 4,014 crore, wherein 3,629 crore has come from non-MSMEs and 369 crore from MSMEs till October 31. This complements the government's vision of making it easier to manufacture telecom equipment, create employment, and boost exports, which is a significant step in India's pursuit of telecom self-reliance. NHPC said in a statement that the solutions would also help mitigate urban waterlogging during monsoons by swiftly clearing canals and culverts and supporting dredging and desilting operations in inland waterways, coastal areas, ponds, and lakes.NHPC and BEML have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish strategic cooperation in the development of advanced desilting and dredging solutions tailored for hydroelectric plants, the company said.NHPC said that upon successful implementation in pilot projects, the solutions are expected to be replicated across other hydropower plants, further strengthening India's renewable energy infrastructure.NHPC chairman and managing director R K Chaudhary said, "Together, we aim to enhance power generation efficiency, reduce maintenance costs, and support India's ambitious renewable energy objectives. This partnership will not only benefit the power sector but also create a positive impact on the environment and local communities."BEML CMD Shantanu Roy stated: "By leveraging our collective strengths, we aim to develop advanced desilting and dredging solutions that not only enhance the efficiency of hydroelectric power plants but also contribute to the nation's broader goals of improving infrastructure and water management systems". NHPC announced a partnership with BEML to jointly explore opportunities for the development of desilting and dredging solutions for hydropower plants.
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