Panel formed to advise on new telecom policy

The high-powered group, according to an official order issued on Friday, will be headed by deputy chairman of Planning Commission Jaswant Singh. The members of the group will include member telecom Planning Commission, finance secretary, law secretary, telecom secretary, member services and member production, N Seshagiri, director general National Informatics Centre, Rodham Narasimham, director National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore, S Rangarajan, director, Satellite Communications and Sudheendra Kulkarni director communications and research in the Prime Minister8217;s Office. The prime minister8217;ssecretary will function as member-secretary for the group.

In addition, the ministry of communications has also set up another group to work out details of setting up a telecom services board as a first step towards corporatisation of the Department of Telecom DoT, telecom commission chairman Anil Kumar told newspersons here.

Kumar declined to put a date for the new policy, but added that the groupwould submit its recommendations to the Prime Minister quot;as early as possiblequot; after holding detailed discussions with the industry and experts in the sector. The group will be serviced by the DoT.

Kumar said the telecom services board was being set up to separate policy making and services of DoT. The board would look after the services part of the DOT. He added that group on corporatising DoT would submit its report within 60 days. The separation of operations and policy would be the first definite movement towards corporatisation, he said.