MUMBAI, NOV 20: Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) chairperson Justice S S Sodhi today called for more powers to remove existing bottlenecks and improve efficiency, notwithstanding Communications Minister Ramvilas Paswan’s statement that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has suffered an estimated loss of Rs 2,000 crore due to the tariffs recommended by the regulator.
Increasing tele-density, enhancing investor confidence, improving efficiency are the major challenges before the nation in the telecom sector and it is really a matter for the government to consider what role and jurisdiction of the TRAI should be, Justice Sodhi said while addressing a gathering of businessmen, telecom operators, government officials and regulators at the national seminar on regulatory framework in power and telecommunications – issues and expectations organised by the CII here.
Speaking on `Regulatory regime in telecom: India experience’, he said that ever since its inception, just over two-and-a-halfyears ago there has been an ongoing controversy with regard to the role and jurisdiction of the TRAI under the TRAI Act. It has now gone to the Supreme Court and the court, no doubt, in due course will pronounce upon this issue about the point to be emphasised in the policy aspect, he said. And on this account unfortunately indecision persists, and that too in the face of oft-repeated statements emanating from the government of its intention to strengthen TRAI and even the National Telecom Policy 1999 also speaks about the need to do so.
Planning Commission member Montek Singh Ahluwalia, who inaugurated the day-long deliberations, said that at the government level talks are on to strengthen the regulator. Even the presidential address says so and amendment to the TRAI Act is a major challenge before us. However, he refused to comment on any time-frame about the amendment. The aim is to provide a level playing field for operators and protect the interests of consumers, the former finance secretary said.
Asthe matter stands today after the court verdicts and challenges launched against the TRAI by DoT and the MTNL, perhaps the most pertinent question to ask is what survives of the role and the jurisdiction of TRAI rather than what it is? No wonder an atmosphere of uncertainty has come to cloud the investment prospects in the telecom sector, he said. Paswan had earlier blamed the TRAI for the losses incurred by the DoT.