Telecom Technology Development Fund scheme (TTDF)

In news: The scheme is launched by Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF).

About:

• The scheme is aligned with Prime Minister’s clarion call of adding Jan Anusandhan in the new phase of Amrit Kaal.
• The scheme entails grants to Indian entities to encourage and induct indigenous technologies tailor-made to meet domestic needs.

Objectives:

• Fund R&D in rural-specific communication technology applications
• Form synergies among academia, start-ups, research institutes, and the industry to build and develop the telecom ecosystem.

• Promote technology ownership and indigenous manufacturing
• Create a culture of technology co-innovation, reduce imports, boost export opportunities
• Creation of Intellectual Property.
• Development of standards to meet countrywide requirements and create the ecosystem for research, design, prototyping, use cases, pilots, and proof of concept testing, among others.

About USOF:

• Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) is an attached office of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Communications.
• It was formed under the Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Act, 2003 giving it a statutory
• It is headed by the Administrator, USO Fund who is appointed by the Central Government, for the administration of the fund.

Source: PIB