Ban on pre-paid mobile phones in Jammu and Kashmir lifted
merisarkar news service
New Delhi, January 21, 2010
Protest of the ban on pre-paid connection (File)
In a big relief to 3.8 million subscribers of pre-paid connection in Jammu and Kashmir Union Government has decided to lift the ban on pre-paid mobile connections in the state.
Union Home Ministry had imposed the ban on first November the last year citing the misuse of unverified mobile numbers by anti India elements.
Centre on Thursday lifted the ban with immediate effect but it imposed stringent conditions on operators for verification of customers.
The decision to lift the ban was taken after the Centre finalised a 'foolproof' plan to ensure proper verification of nearly 38 lakh cell phone subscribers in the state.
Home Minister P Chidambaram had recently said that if the service providers come up with a foolproof plan of 100 percent verification and if the government of India was satisfied with it then the ban may be lifted.
Chief Minister of the state Omar Abdullah and his father Farooq Abdulla, a cabinet minister in the union government, had demanded the lifting of the ban.
The Department of Telecom had imposed a penalty of Rs 7.38 crore on the six service providers operating in the state from 2008 to November 2009 for non verification of their customers.
Telecom operators have been advised not to issue pre-paid connection to any customer until the applicant provided reference of a post-paid number or BSNL landline.
