Government U-turn: Sanchar Saathi app no longer mandatory, won’t be pre-installed on phones

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The Central Government has withdrawn its decision to make the 'Sanchar Saathi' app mandatory to be pre-installed in mobile phones. The Ministry of Communications issued this important clarification on Wednesday amid questions being raised by the opposition and the general public regarding privacy. The government has also cancelled the directive given to mobile manufacturing companies, in which the app was asked to be kept as a 'non-deletable' feature. Now it will completely depend on the user's choice whether they want to keep this app in their phone or not.

A statement issued by the Ministry of Communications stated that the government's sole objective is to protect citizens from cybercrimes and digital fraud. The ministry argued that the app's popularity is rapidly increasing and people are voluntarily downloading it, so there is no longer a need for any mandatory requirements. According to statistics, 14 million users have downloaded it so far, and 600,000 new people have registered in just one day. The government believes that due to increased awareness, the need for stricter regulations is no longer necessary.

The government also strongly presented its position on this issue during the winter session of Parliament. Responding to questions from Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda in the Lok Sabha, Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia categorically rejected the allegations of spying. He assured the House that the app is for the safety of citizens, not for surveillance. Scindia, presenting the technical side, explained that having an app on a phone does not mean it is working; it remains inactive until the user registers. This clarification and decision by the government has brought relief to mobile users.