The Estimates Committee of India’s lower house of the Parliament has reprimanded the country’s Department of Telecom for “illegal operations of telecom networks in the country.”
According to the committee, large numbers of illegal telecom networks exist in states such as Andra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Maharashtra, and Karnataka.
“Apart from causing loss to the Exchequer by not paying the license fee, the illegal networks are a grave security threat to the country, particularly after the recent terror attacks in Mumbai and Delhi,” the committee said.
DoT has been asked to stop these illegal networks. It was also being asked to tell the committee about the steps that have been taken to dismantle these networks.
Information was also sought from the telecom department as to whether they had the technical expertise to block or jam illegal messages and calls.
In addition to its security concerns, the Estimates Committee also asked for information on the policy initiatives taken by the telecom ministry to boost investment in the telecom equipment manufacturing sector and to “transform the country into a telecom equipment manufacturing hub”.
The committee also sought information on the ministry’s spectrum management policy, 3G licensing agreements, Universal Service Obligation Fund and telecom connectivity in India’s northeastern states.
