Verma takes over as chairman of TRAI

NEW DELHI, MAR 25: Former SBI chairman M S Verma today took over as chairman of the reconstituted Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (T...

NEW DELHI, MAR 25: Former SBI chairman M S Verma today took over as chairman of the reconstituted Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). After assuming office, Verma said TRAI would endeavour to create an environment for healthy growth in the telecom sector facilitating achievements of the objectives laid down in the new telecom policy 1999.

Two part-time members, Rakesh Mohan, director general of NCAER and V S Raju, IIT director, was appointed after one of the originally appointed members N Seshagiri, special secretary in the ministry of information technology declined the offer.

No member from the dissolved regulatory body except the former Telecom Commission member Prasad had found place in the reconstituted TRAI. Prasad has been appointed as whole time member for a term of two years, while all others have been given a term of three years.

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On January 25, government had issued an ordinance bifurcating the TRAI into regulator and dispute settlement tribunal following which former TRAI chairman justice SS Sodhi along with other members had vacated the office.

As against the earlier strength of chairman and 6 members, the new TRAI would have a chairman, two full time members and two part-time members.

Though the new regulator would make recommendations relating to licencing, tariff, interconnecitivity charges etc it would `not be binding upon the central government’.

The government would also issue a notification for setting up the tribunal which would adjudicate any dispute between licensor and a licensee; two or more service providers; or a service provider and a group of consumers, the ordinance said.