File photo of Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rajiv Chandrasekhar | Photo credit: Sandeep Saxena
Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Wednesday said rising prices of data and equipment are a matter of concern for the rapid spread of digitisation.
The remarks come in the backdrop of the country’s second largest telco Bharti Airtel recently hiking the minimum monthly recharge plan by nearly 57%.
“Increase in cost of data or equipment is a matter of concern as they are a hindrance to rapid digitisation,” said Mr Chandrasekhar.
The minister said that he is not exactly aware of the hike in rates of mobile services by Airtel and the ministry may approach the telecom regulator TRAI to examine whether the hike is going to have short term or long term impact.
He added that the Russia-Ukraine war has had an impact on prices across the world and the data needs to examine the impact of the price.
Bharti Airtel has increased the price of its minimum recharge by almost 57% to ₹155 for 28-day mobile phone service plan in eight circles including Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh West.
The company has discontinued its Rs 99 minimum recharge plan, under which it offered 200 megabytes of data and calls at 2.5 paise per second. In Haryana and Odisha, Airtel has now started offering the Rs 155 plan with unlimited calling, 1GB data and 300 SMS.