Current Affairs

Government ensures telecom resilience amid Cyclone Arnab

Source:PIB ↗

આ શા માટે મહત્વનું છે

Telecommunication continuity is a critical pillar of disaster management, early warning dissemination, and emergency rescue operations during natural disasters like cyclones.

સારાંશ

The article highlights the steps taken by the government and telecom authorities to maintain telecom connectivity and rapid restoration during Cyclone Arnab, ensuring uninterrupted emergency communication and disaster response coordination.

મુખ્ય મુદ્દા

  • The government ensured the continuity of telecom connectivity and communication lines amid the impact of Cyclone Arnab.
  • Proactive emergency preparedness measures were deployed by telecom service providers under the guidance of the Department of Telecommunications.
  • Focus was placed on keeping critical infrastructure, helplines, and rescue networks functional during and after the disaster.

મહત્વપૂર્ણ શબ્દો

Department of Telecommunications

A department under the Ministry of Communications responsible for formulating telecom policies, granting licenses, and coordinating emergency telecom disaster management measures like Intra-Circle Roaming and early warning broadcasts.

UPSC context

Important for GS Paper III (Disaster Management & Infrastructure Resilience), testing institutional mechanisms for maintaining communication networks during extreme weather events.

Source
Ministry of Communications

The central government ministry in India responsible for governing postal and telecommunications services, overseeing policy formulation, and coordinating resilient infrastructure operations during natural disasters.

UPSC context

Relevant to GS Paper II/III (Governance and Infrastructure), examining ministerial responsibilities in maintaining critical services during emergencies.

Source

પ્રિલિમ્સ ટ્રેપ

Intra-Circle Roaming (ICR) can only be activated by telecom service providers for commercial tariff agreements under TRAI regulations.

Aspirants often assume Intra-Circle Roaming is only invoked for commercial network sharing or spectrum trading, whereas DoT rapidly activates it during natural disasters as a mandatory emergency measure.

સંલગ્ન સ્થિર ખ્યાલો

Disaster Management Infrastructure

What are the key institutional frameworks and mechanisms for disaster management in India?

  • NDMA Mandate: NDMA Guidelines formulated under the Disaster Management Act of 2005 mandate standard operating procedures for critical infrastructure resilience.
  • CDRI Role: CDRI (Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure) promotes rapid development of disaster-resilient infrastructure globally and nationally.
  • DoT Disaster SOP: DoT Disaster SOP ensures uninterrupted telecom connectivity, emergency helplines, and rapid tower restoration during cyclones and floods.

આંતર-વિષય પેટર્ન

  • Telecom Resilience + NDMA Guidelines

    Cyclones and earthquakes test the structural integrity of cellular towers, linking infrastructure hardening to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) guidelines on critical asset protection.

  • Telecom Regulation + Disaster Response

    Intra-circle roaming provisions during crises showcase the intersection of telecom regulatory frameworks (TRAI/DoT) and emergency disaster response protocols.

DoT's SOP for disaster response, including Intra-Circle Roaming and CDRI risk frameworks, will likely appear in a multi-statement prelims question.

સંલગ્ન PYQ · 3

સંલગ્ન PYQ · 3

  • 2024MainsGS3

    What is disaster resilience? How is it determined? Describe various elements of a resilience framework. Also mention the global targets of Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015–2030).

  • 2020MainsGS3

    Discuss the recent measures initiated in disaster management by the Government of India departing from the earlier reactive approach.

  • 2019MainsGS3

    Disaster preparedness is the first step in any disaster management process. Explain how hazard zonation mapping will help disaster mitigation in the case of landslides.