Dot Sets Target Of 2.9 Million Phones By March 98

The department of telecommunications (DoT) has set a target of 2.9 million telephone connections for 1997-98. It had a waiting list of 3.38 million end of last year. Communications minister Beni Prasad Verma yesterday expressed confidence that this goal and other targets set for rural telephony would be achieved.

DoT has a village phone terminals (VPTs) target of 100,000 for this financial year. Speaking at a conference of the heads of all 20 telecom circles here yesterday, Verma said rural Indias need for development and the role of communications infrastructure as a catalyst cannot be overemphasised.

The minister stressed the need for better telephone services in rural areas and urged the officials at the conference to interact with the state government machinery at appropriate levels for greater coordination in respect of the operation of rural telecom networks.

 

Verma expressed dissatisfaction over the status of the customer in the telecom network and called for an urgent improvement in customer interface. You must not underestimate the importance of the customer who is the ultimate judge and the ultimate decision maker, he said.

He said despite overall improvements in telecom services, the fault rate is high, shifts take more time and grievance redressal is especially taxing. Hinting at the impending competition in the telecom sector, Verma stressed that the day is not far when he (the consumer) will really get a choice, and called for an urgent improvement in customer services.

All-out efforts must be made to reach out to the customer, the minister said, adding that departmental fora like the telephone advisory committee and telephone adalats should be exploited fully. He urged the officials to work out technological and systemic solutions to make a single-window concept a reality.

The minister lauded the department for its performance in 1996-97, particularly in providing 2.56 million telephone connections, commissioning of 400,000 trunk automatic exchange (TAX) lines and installation of 32,000 route km of transmission media.

While expressing confidence that the 2.9 million-lines target would be met, the minister assured full cooperation to the circle heads in ensuring timely and evenly spaced supply of material to meet their targets.

Verma also suggested to the participants in the conference to sign annual maintenance contracts, set up repair centres, provide solar panels and check up deficiency of existing systems. Installation of VPTs, getting them tested for acceptance levels and regular inspections were his other recommendations.