FEBRUARY 20258TRAI LAYS DOWN GUIDELINES FOR SATELLITE BASED BROADCASTERSAUTOMAKERS MANDATED TO RECYCLE 8 PERCENT STEEL USED IN 2005-06 CARSThe Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has proposed aligning the regulatory framework for Ground-Based Broadcasters (GBBs) with the 2022 Automakers in India will soon be required to recycle steel used in their vehicles, according to new government regulations set to take effect in April. The new rules mandate that manufacturers recycle at least 8 percent of the steel in cars sold in the 2005-06 period, with the requirement gradually increasing to 18 percent by 2035-36. This initiative is part of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) norm, which ties steel recycling to the end-of-life stage of vehicles, typically estimated at 20-21 years.TOP STORIESThe Environment Protection (End-of-Life Vehicles) Rules, announced last week by the Ministry of Environment, mandate the safe collection and recycling of vehicles once they reach the end of their lifespan. Manufacturers will need to meet yearly recycling targets, and they must demonstrate compliance by purchasing EPR certificates from authorized scrapping facilities.In addition to meeting recycling targets, car manufacturers will be required to educate consumers, establish buy-back programs, and register their activities on a central portal managed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). These measures are designed to encourage formal vehicle scrapping at Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities (RVSFs), of which India currently has 82, with a goal of reaching 100 by the next few months. Most states are expected to announce policies for setting up RVSFs in the next two months.The CPCB will issue EPR certificates to RVSFs based on the amount of steel recovered from scrapped vehicles. Manufacturers can purchase these certificates to fulfill their recycling obligations. The regulations also apply to vehicle owners, bulk consumers (who own over 100 vehicles), RVSFs, collection centers, and automated testing centers, ensuring proper disposal of old vehicles. uplinking and downlinking guidelines for Satellite-Based Broadcasters (SBBs), where applicable, excluding rules specific to satellite use.Currently, GBBs, which deliver content terrestrially to cable television networks without satellite dependency, lack a dedicated regulatory framework. In its recommendations on the "Regulatory Framework for Ground-Based Broadcasters," TRAI noted that advancements in technology now allow GBBs to deliver TV channels to Distribution Platform Operators (DPOs) via terrestrial communication technologies such as wireline, wireless, internet, or cloud-based methods.The recommendations stem from a request by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) on May 22, 2024, under Section 11(1)(a) of the TRAI Act, 1997, seeking regulatory guidance on GBBs. TRAI has emphasized that GBBs should be permitted to use any terrestrial communication medium without restrictions for channel delivery to DPOs.Moreover, TRAI proposed that the service area for GBBs be national, enabling them to operate across the entire country. These recommendations aim to create a streamlined regulatory environment that leverages emerging technologies for more efficient content distribution.
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