Question : TRAI’s Recommendation’s on Monopoly-Market Dominance in Cable TV Services

(a) the Status of the TRAI’s recommendation’s on Monopoly/Market dominance in Cable TV services on dated 26th November 2013;

(b) whether the Government have an issue with the Herfindahl-Hirschmann Index (HHI) to measure the level of competition as recommended by the TRAI and accepted by the Inter Ministerial Committee in its meetings on 17th and 22nd January 2014, if so, the details thereof;

(c) the reasons because of which Government made a recommendation to the Competition Commission of India on the recommendations of TRAI;

(d) whether this constituted a violation of the 4th proviso to Section 11 (1) D of the TRAI Act whereby the Government is statutorily mandated to refer the recommendations back to the TRAI in case of any disagreement, if so, the details thereof; and

(e) whether the Government agree with the spirit of the TRAI’s recommendations that monopolies in the Media Industry whether content or distribution need to be curbed, if so, the details thereof?

THE MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE AND MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
(SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

(a) to (c) The recommendations of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on “Monopoly / Market Dominance in Cable TV Services” dated 26th November, 2013 have been considered by the Inter Ministerial Committee of this Ministry.

This includes TRAI’s recommendation relating to Herfindahl–Hirschman Index (HHI). The acceptance of the recommendations has multi dimensional implications which requires consultation with various stakeholders. No recommendation to Competition Commission of India (CCI) has been made in this regard.
(d) Does not arise in view of reply to part (a) to (c) above.
(e) The acceptance of the recommendations has multi dimensional implications which requires consultation with various stakeholders.
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