CRPF Kashmir
CRPF jawans in Jammu and Kashmir [Representational Image]Reuters

The government has decided that from the day of Diwali, October 19, it will charge no monthly fee for the DSPT service (satellite phone) used by the defence forces.

"From Diwali day (October 19), no monthly fee will be taken for using DSPT service, that is, the current monthly fee of Rs 500 will be 'zero' from tomorrow. And also, the present telephone charges of Rs 5 per minute is being reduced to Re 1 per minute," Union Telecommunications Minister Manoj Sinha said.

Currently, the defence forces personnel use only DSPT service provided by BSNL because there is no other means of communication available in those areas.