Page 34 - The Indian EYE 070921

Business EYE JULY 09, 2021 | The Indian Eye 34

All eyes on India’s war with Twitter as new

minister for Information Tech takes charge

Ashwini Vaishnaw, the first time Minister has an MBA from Wharton School,

Pennysylvania University, and MTech from IIT Kanpur

Our Bureau has his plate full with the im-
pending 5G rollout, where In-
New Delhi dia lags the global markets, as

he law of the land should well as other focus areas like im-
be abided by everyone, proving the financial health of
Tsaid new Electronics the sector and providing high-
and Information Technology speed broadband connectivity
Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on across all villages, as promised
Thursday while commenting on by the Prime Minister.
the Centre’s stand-off with Twit- “As the industry readies to
ter. Vaishnaw, who took oath as usher 5G and catalyse the dig-
Union Minister on Wednesday, ital economy, we look forward
took charge as the Minister of to working with the new lead-
Electronics and Information ership to improve the financial
Technology as well as the Rail- health of the sector and seek
way Minister earlier this morn- their crucial support for build-
ing. “I want to thank PM Modi for ing the right infrastructure to
giving me the opportunity to serve revolutionize the sector,” tele-
the country. I will do my best.” Ashwini Vaishnaw takes charge as the Union Minister for Rail- com industry body COAI direc-
“The law of the land should ways and IT & Communications, in New Delhi Thursday. (ANI) tor general S P Kochhar said.
be abided by everyone,” he said. Vaishnaw’s predecessor Ravi
For the past several months, law, Information Technology will work for that vision,” said Shankar Prasad took the lead
Twitter has been involved in a (Intermediary Guidelines and Vaishnaw. in implementation of the pro-
stand-off with the Indian gov- Digital Ethics Code) Rules A former IAS officer, Vaish- duction-linked incentive (PLI)
ernment over the new amend- 2021, came to regulate the func- naw has been appointed the scheme which attracted partic-
ments in the country’s new In- tioning of online media portals Minister of Railways, Minister ipation from global majors like
formation Technology laws with and publishers, social media of Communications, and Minis- Samsung, Apple’s vendor Fox-
the micro-blogging platform companies like Facebook, Twit- ter of Electronics and Informa- conn and Wistron, among others.
losing its intermediary status ter - rendering their services as tion Technology. This is the first time all the
and becoming liable for us- ‘intermediaries’ - and as well as The Railway Minister was ministers in the ministries of
er-generated content. over-the-top (OTT platforms). earlier under Union Minister electronics and IT, and commu-
Earlier in an affidavit filed According to amended IT Piyush Goyal who has been giv- nications hold technical qualifi-
before the Delhi High Court, rules, social media and stream- en charge of the Ministries of cations. His colleague, minister
the Central government in- ing companies will be required Commerce and Industry; Con- of state for electronics and IT
formed that Twitter Inc has to take down contentious con- sumer Affairs, Food and Public Rajeev Chandrasekhar is an
failed to fully comply with the tent quicker and appoint griev- Distribution; and Textiles. electrical engineering graduate
IT Rules 2021 in spite of the ance redressal officers based in The first time Minister has from Manipal Institute of Tech-
three months time granted to all the country to deal with online an MBA from Wharton School, nology. He completed Master’s
Significant Social Media Inter- content flagged by authorities Pennysylvania University, and in Computer Science in 1986
mediaries (SSMIs). The dead- and courts and assist in investi- MTech from IIT Kanpur. from the Illinois Institute of
line for complying with the new gations. With the change of leader- Chicago.
rules was May 26, 2021. After taking charge, the new ship at the electronics, IT and Chandrasekhar has active-
The Government of India Minister said that Railways is a communications ministries, in- ly participated in issues around
has approached the Supreme major part of PM Modi’s vision dustry players have expressed communications, data pro-
Court seeking transfer of all and he would work to make hope that the new team will tection and net neutrality as a
petitions challenging the con- the vision a reality. “His (PM look at improving the health of Member of Parliament. Minis-
stitutionality of the Information Modi’s) vision for railways is to the telecom sector and boosting ter of state for communications
Technology (IT) Rules, 2021 transform the lives of the peo- the electronics manufacturing Devusinh Jesingbhai Chauhan
from various High Courts to the ple, that everyone - common ecosystem. has a diploma in electrical en-
top court. man, farmers, the poor - gets Vaishnaw, who also holds gineering from a government
India’s recently enforced the benefit of the railway. I the communications portfolio, polytechnic in Gujarat.

www.TheIndianEYE .com