CAG pulls up TRAI for abusing power

NEW DELHI, OCT 31: The comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has criticised the chairperson and members of Telecom Regulatory Authority (...

NEW DELHI, OCT 31: The comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has criticised the chairperson and members of Telecom Regulatory Authority (TRAI) for exceeding their powers relating to personal entitlements.

The entitlements provided to the chairperson and members of authority under its ad hoc orders were substantially higher than those admissible to the officers of the equivalent status in government in the matters of pay rules and dearness allowance, it said in a report tabled in Parliament. The issue regarding grant of status of the Chief Justice of High Court to the TRAI Chairperson had been under consideration of the government and without waiting for any government notification in this regard, TRAI chairperson was provided free furnishing at residence and electrical appliances, it said.

TRAI fixed $ 500 per day halting allowance for foreign tours of chairperson and members which was higher than the rates prescribed for the officers of international civil services of USA, highest paid civil service inthe world, the report said. The uniform TRAI rate of $ 500 was much higher than United Nations (UN) rate even in the costliest cities like London, New York, Geneva, Singapore, Paris and Tokyo, it said.

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These rates were also much higher as compared to the rates admissible to the Central Government officers of equivalent status.

The audit found that in cases where free accommodation was provided, the daily subsistence allowance under the Ministry of External Affairs rules ranged between 60 and $ 100 whereas in the case of TRAI, a flat rate of $ 200 was paid, the CAG report said.

In the first year, TRAI officers undertook foreign junkets in connection with study tours and to attend international telecom seminars, it said, adding most of these were undertaken by the chairperson, members and secretary.

The CAG report said while the government officers of the secretary rank get daily allowance of only Rs 650 per day for hotel stay in A-1 class cities in India and do not get any additional boarding charges,the chairperson and members of TRAI prescribed reimbursement of lodging charges on actuals for stay in five star hotels. TRAI spent 1.60 lakh for furnishing chairman’s residence and bought furniture worth Rs 0.66 lakh for his office at the residence keeping in view the status of the Chairman.nal financial control.