Why 2G service in Assam and Arunachal, asks SC
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
New Delhi:09.10.2018
The Supreme Court on Monday sought responses from the Centre and BSNL on a petition by NGO ‘Telecom Watchdog’ alleging a huge scam in the decision to deploy outdated 2G mobile services in Arunachal Pradesh and two districts of Assam and that too at almost eight times the normal cost.
A bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta issued notices to the department of telecom (DoT) and BSNL after petitioner’s advocate Prashant Bhushan said the money collected from auction of cancelled 2G spectrum licences were being put to misuse as the government was deviating from its ‘Digital North East 2022’ policy to provide latest telecom technology at affordable prices.
He said though the 2G cell phone tower costs ₹11 lakh, the contract has been awarded by BSNL to private parties at a whopping ₹80 lakh per tower causing huge loss to the exchequer and squandering away of the money generated through auction of the cancelled 2G spectrum licences.
The petitioner sought quashing of the January 16, 2018, agreement between DoT and BSNL, which mandated use of outdated 2G technology being purchased at huge cost of ₹2,258 crore from two private companies “with mala fide intention”. In the alternative, it sought amending of the agreement to include 4G services as well for entire Arunachal Pradesh, besides Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts of Assam.
The writ petition by Telecom Watchdog was earlier dismissed by the Delhi high court, which had termed deployment of 2G technology as a policy matter of the government that cannot be quashed in the absence of any arbitrariness or violation of any statutory rules or regulations.
In its appeal against the Delhi HC order before the SC, the petitioner said as per the Indian Telegraphy Act, the government is obliged to provide all types of telegraphy services at affordable rates to the rural and unconnected areas. For this, a separate Universal Service Obligation (USO) Fund is in operation since 2002, which as on June 30, 2018, had ₹48,393 crore of unspent amount. It cautioned against its use for deployment of outdated technology.
An NGO has alleged a huge scam in the decision to deploy 2G mobile services in Arunachal Pradesh and two Assam districts and that too at almost eight times the normal cost
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
New Delhi:09.10.2018
The Supreme Court on Monday sought responses from the Centre and BSNL on a petition by NGO ‘Telecom Watchdog’ alleging a huge scam in the decision to deploy outdated 2G mobile services in Arunachal Pradesh and two districts of Assam and that too at almost eight times the normal cost.
A bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta issued notices to the department of telecom (DoT) and BSNL after petitioner’s advocate Prashant Bhushan said the money collected from auction of cancelled 2G spectrum licences were being put to misuse as the government was deviating from its ‘Digital North East 2022’ policy to provide latest telecom technology at affordable prices.
He said though the 2G cell phone tower costs ₹11 lakh, the contract has been awarded by BSNL to private parties at a whopping ₹80 lakh per tower causing huge loss to the exchequer and squandering away of the money generated through auction of the cancelled 2G spectrum licences.
The petitioner sought quashing of the January 16, 2018, agreement between DoT and BSNL, which mandated use of outdated 2G technology being purchased at huge cost of ₹2,258 crore from two private companies “with mala fide intention”. In the alternative, it sought amending of the agreement to include 4G services as well for entire Arunachal Pradesh, besides Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts of Assam.
The writ petition by Telecom Watchdog was earlier dismissed by the Delhi high court, which had termed deployment of 2G technology as a policy matter of the government that cannot be quashed in the absence of any arbitrariness or violation of any statutory rules or regulations.
In its appeal against the Delhi HC order before the SC, the petitioner said as per the Indian Telegraphy Act, the government is obliged to provide all types of telegraphy services at affordable rates to the rural and unconnected areas. For this, a separate Universal Service Obligation (USO) Fund is in operation since 2002, which as on June 30, 2018, had ₹48,393 crore of unspent amount. It cautioned against its use for deployment of outdated technology.
An NGO has alleged a huge scam in the decision to deploy 2G mobile services in Arunachal Pradesh and two Assam districts and that too at almost eight times the normal cost
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