Telecom service cadre asks government for ‘apt’ jobs
November 23rd, 2011 - 5:40 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, Nov 23 (IANS) Officers of a specialised telecom service cadre Wednesday alleged that the government was not utilising their high-tech skills and “many of them are just sitting idle and drawing salaries” when they could be placed within various telecom cells to help monitor this fast-growing industry.
“We all belong to reputed institutes including IITs and many of us joined service after resigning from reputed PSUs. We did not opt to get absorbed in BSNL/ MTNL as the offered terms and conditions did not meet our legitimate aspirations,” a representative of Indian Telecommunication Service Association (ITSA) told IANS.
“Considering the larger public interest, the government should strengthen the role of ITS officers in areas like TERM (Telecom Enforcement, Resource and Monitoring) cells, effective consumer grievance redressal cells, special purpose vehicle for NOFN (National Optical Fibre Network), management of secure defence network and promotion of indigenous telecom equipment manufacturing,” he added.
Indian Telecommunication Service (ITS) Group ‘A’ officers are meant for framing and implementing government policies and managing overall growth of telecom sector in India.
In 2005, 2008 and 2011 most of these officers were put in BSNL and MTNL on deemed deputation and were offered the option to get absorbed. However, except 12, the rest of the ITS officers did not opt to get absorbed into these companies.
“For those who did not choose to join the public sector firms, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) issued a repatriation order on Nov 3 and asked them to come to New Delhi, sit idle and draw salary without work,” the ITSA representative alleged.
“Making these ITS officers sit idle, when the growth of telecom and IT is at its peak, and pay them salary from public exchequer to the tune of Rs.250 crore per annum will result in wastage of both unique national talent as well as public money,” he added.
The officers urged the government to deploy them to various field units where they could help implement many of the upcoming infrastructure development projects.
“The new telecom policy has envisaged building capacity in many areas and so the DoT will require additional expertise,” said the official.
- MTNL, BSNL merger proposal being examined - Aug 11, 2011
- Telecom links in all Indian villages by 2014: BSNL - Mar 25, 2012
- National Optical Fiber network to be set up: Sibal - Jul 22, 2011
- Panel formed to implement national optic fibre network - Jun 26, 2012
- BSNL submits proposal on voluntary retirement to DoT - Nov 30, 2011
- DoT wants technical solution for interception, monitoring of Blackberry services - Aug 26, 2010
- BSNL, MTNL say not seeking concessions on 3G payment - May 20, 2010
- Government to allocate 3G spectrum Sep 1 - Aug 31, 2010
- Government asks 3G auction winners to pay by May 31 - May 21, 2010
- UP to provide broadband service to all panchayats - Jul 31, 2012
- BSNL, MTNL lost subscribers post mobile number portability - Aug 05, 2011
- 2G case: Ex-official says Raja took policy decisions - Jul 31, 2012
- Blackberry issue: DoT awaiting technical upgradation by telecom operators - Sep 23, 2010
- Telcos warned on unauthorised surveillance - Dec 30, 2010
- India needs to rebuilt its telecom narrative (Comment) - Feb 06, 2012
Tags: crore, defence network, deputation, enforcement resource, government policies, grievance, itsa, mtnl, optical fibre network, psus, public money, repatriation, rs 250, sector firms, special purpose vehicle, telecom equipment, telecom sector, telecom service, telecommunication service, wastage