Government of India
Ministry of Communications
Department of Telecommunications

Rajya Sabha
Unstarred Question No.594
To be Answered on 22^nd July, 2016
Non-Framing of Guidelines on Net Neutrality

594. SHRI RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR:

Will the Minister of Communications be pleased to state the reasons for not framing guidelines on Net Neutrality by Government despite passage of a considerable time?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS &
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
(SHRI MANOJ SINHA)

Government has asked Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to provide its recommendation on  net neutrality for policy formulation. Various issues pertaining to Net Neutrality are currently under TRAI consultation.

In this regard, TRAI has released pre-consultation paper on Net Neutrality on 30.05.2016 & a consultation Paper titled “Regulatory Framework for Over The Top (OTT) Service” on 27.03.2015. Also, TRAI has already released its regulation “Prohibition of discriminatory tariffs for data services, Regulations, 2016” on 8^th Feb, 2016, which inter alia, prohibits any service provider from offering or charging discriminatory tariffs for data services on the basis of content.