DoT seeks to empower TRAI, approaches Parliament

In a bid to make TRAI a force to reckon with, the Department of Telecom has informed the Parliament of its plans to make TRAI more accountable to the government, especially with the spectre of the 2G scam still lurking in the background. Currently, the DoT is looking through proposals that would help it help TRAI function more effectively. 

A stronger TRAI?… (Image credit: Getty Images)

Since its inception TRAI has been riddled with challenges between the process of recommending something, and the implementation of the same. The delay, as per a report in The Times of India had positioned TRAI among the weaker sections. Also, TRAI recommendations were subject to review by several bodies before it even reached the Parliament. These bodies, including Standing Committee on IT, Committee on Subordinate Legislation, Committee on Papers Laid , among others went through each of these reviews. However, now DoT seeks a more direct, more objective reporting to the parliament by TRAI. Now, since changing the structure of reporting to the Parliament isn’t really a telecom industry’s directive, TRAI has approached DoT with several recommendations. Each of these recommendations point out to one common goal - more power in the arena of spectrum management, as well as restructuring.