Corporate rivalry affecting Govt decision making: Telecom Minister
merisarkar news service
New Delhi, February 01, 2010
A. Raja (File Photo)
Telecom Minister A Raja has attributed corporate rivalry as the main factor delaying the expansion plans of public sector telecom giant - BSNL.
In a letter to Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, A Raja said that a fresh tender for GSM Mobile equipments worth Rs. 36,000 crore could still be challenged by rival companies.
He also mentioned various factors delaying the expansion plan of BSNL to the Prime Minister.
Vigilance authorities recently directed telecom ministry for a fresh tender for BSNL's GSM expansion plan.
NSN had Challenged the BSNL's decision
BSNL had invited bids to add 93 million GSM lines about two years ago and the joint bid by Nokia-Siemens Network (NSN) was disqualified on technical grounds. The public sector telecom giant has not been able to place the orders for the same.
Swedish vendor Ericsson was the lowest bidder for the Northern and Eastern region, while China's Huawei was selected for the South zone.
NSN had challenged disqualification in two High Courts but both the courts upheld BSNL's decision.
"In this regard, you will appreciate the trend where corporate rivalries are buffering decisions making in many ways in the government," Raja said in its letter the Prime Minister.
A Raja wrote in the letter that BSNL needs these lines urgently in view of its rapidly declining market share and any further delay in adding the capacity may result in further deterioration.
Do you think that in today's highly fractured and competitive politics the Parliament will, in near future, be able to function properly and constructively?
