BSNL Emp Union Criticised TRAI

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited Employees Union has criticised the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s decision to abolish the Access Deficit Charge for private telecom operators. Private telecom operators were providing this charge to compensate the loss incurred by BSNL for providing financially unviable but socially essential phone connections in villages and rural areas. Despite clear licence condition that private operators should provide certain percentage of connections in villages they had not done it.

Union Communication Minister and Telecom Department should take immediate action to ensure collection of Access Deficit Charge

V.A.N. Namboodri, general secretary of the union said that instead of taking action against erring companies, the regulatory body has exempted private operators from remitting the charge. Recommendations of TRAI to subsidise the amount to BSNL for three years was only an eye wash and would not solve the problem. The union said that the Union Communication Minister and Telecom Department should take immediate action to ensure collection of Access Deficit Charge so that lakhs of villages and rural areas got telephone connectivity.

01.04.2008.

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