The Indian government has given Ram Sewak Sharma, secretary, Department of Electronics & IT (DeiTY), the additional charge of Department of Telecommunications (DoT). The appointment effective from July 1, will be valid for three months, or until any new order is passed.

Sharma takes charge from M F Farooqui, who retired June 30, 2014. Farooqui had assumed the responsibility of the telecom secretary in April 2013. Under his tenure, key regulations on new licencing regime and change in spectrum usage charges were notified. Further, various guidelines such as spectrum sharing and trading, full mobile number portability, Wi-Fi services for rural India and new penalty norms for telecom operators also received in-principal approval from higher authorities.

Sharma is a 1978 batch IAS officer. He was appointed as secretary, DEITY on May 1, 2014. In the past he has held the positions of Director General and Mission Director of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) between August 2009 and March 2013. He was instrumental in developing Aadhar Card concept with former UIDAI chairman Nandan Nilekani. 

In his new role, Sharma is expected to play a major role in taking steps to introduce favorable merger and acquisition rules, provide clarity on availability and auction of airwaves, and pave the way for spectrum trading and sharing.