Telcos raise concerns over Digital Bharat Nidhi use

Telecom operators are contesting the government's decision to allocate Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) funds for research and development, particularly to public sector units and IITs. Telcos argue that DBN was originally intended for telecom network deployment in rural areas, funded by their contributions. They are concerned about cross-subsidization and lack of transparency in R&D project selection.