Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Monday, Apr 25, 2005
Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Monday, Apr 25, 2005 |
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Outsourcing Info-Tech - Regulatory Bodies & Rulings TRAI to outsource studies Thomas K. Thomas
New Delhi , April 24 FACED with shortage in manpower the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is restructuring its operations to outsource some of its activities to private consultants. While there are 140 posts in TRAI, only 110 are taken with the officers from the Indian Telecom Services cadre refusing to accept deputation to the regulatory body. To start with, TRAI has listed about 9 studies to be outsourced to consultants this year. The studies are relating to issues like expansion of rural network, quality of service for broadband, technical standards for broadband cable TV, expansion of cellular infrastructure in rural areas and tariff issues in the converged service. The studies are expected to cost around Rs 3 crore. Senior Government sources said that the manpower crunch has been caused due to the inability of the TRAI to improve service conditions of its employees and attract ITS officers to the organisation. "The existing funding mechanism does not allow TRAI employees to take all the benefits that accrue to Government employees," Government sources said. TRAI has one of the smallest work forces compared to other telecom regulators across the world. But the move to outsource studies to consultants may not be all that bad. Analysts said that with telecom becoming a fast changing global phenomena it would be a good idea to tap the experience of international consultants to know trends in other countries. "TRAI has in the past engaged consultants for some of its reports which have only added value to the regulatory process. These studies and consultancies will help build TRAI's institutional capacity to meet the new challenges being posted to it," said a telecom analyst. TRAI had earlier appointed consultants with financial assistance from the World Bank.
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