Lok Sabha Question No. 2760 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-10
Subject: Telephone Advisory Committee
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Rebati Tripura, Santosh Kumar, Anurag Sharma, Vijay Kumar Dubey

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2760 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10 TH   JULY, 2019

## TELEPHONE ADVISORY COMMITTEE

## 2760.   SHRI REBATI TRIPURA: SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR: SHRI ANURAG SHARMA: SHRI VIJAY KUMAR DUBEY:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  any  criteria  to  nominate  Members  of  Telephone  Advisory Committee  (TAC)  of  the  concerned  telecom  circles,  especially  in  Bundelkhand,  Bihar,  U.P.  and North East region;
- (b) if so, the details and the time frame thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) the  details  of  mechanism  to  set  up  and  monitor  the  nomination  of  Members  of  TAC  along with the time limit, if any, for the entire process; and
- (d) the details of locations where these nominations have been started?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS, LAW & JUSTICE AND ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

(a) & (b) Sir, nominations of members of Telephone Advisory Committees (TACs) are made in accordance  with  provisions  of  circular  No.  8-01/2004-PHP  dated  10.09.2004  (Annexure-I),  as amended vide circular  No.  5-15/2005-PHP  dated  23.05.2016  (Annexure-II).  There  are  no  separate criteria  to  nominate  members  of  Telephone  Advisory  Committees  (TACs)  specific  to  any  telecom circle including Bundelkhand, Bihar, U.P. and North East region.

(c) & (d) On  receipt  of  recommendations  from  Hon'ble  Members  of  Parliament  (both  Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha), the nominations of members of Telephone Advisory Committees (TACs) are considered and approved at the level of Minister of Communications, on priority. The Telephone Advisory Committees (TACs) at all the telecom district level are already functioning and the present tenure of these Telephone Advisory Committees (TACs) is upto 14.11.2019. However, addition/deletion of members in a Telephone Advisory Committee (TAC) is an ongoing process.

Annexure referred to in reply of para (a) and (b) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.  2760 to be answered on 10 th   July, 2019 raised by Hon'ble Member of Parliament Shri Rebati Tripura, Shri Santosh Kumar Shri Anurag Sharma and Shri Vijay Kumar Dubey, regarding Telephone Advisory Committee

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS & IT DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS 415, SANCHAR BHAWAN, 20-ASHOKA ROAD, NEW DELHI-1

## No. 8-01/2004-PHP

Subject : -

## C C   I I    R R   C C   U U   L L   A A   R R

Constitution of Telephone Advisory Committees (TACs) at Telecom District level.

It has been decided that Telephone Advisory Committees(TACs) will be reorganized for each Telecom  Districts  for  a  period  of  two  years  or  till  further  orders  whichever  is  earlier  under  the chairmanship  of  the  Principal  General  Manager  (PGM),  General  Manager(GM),  Telecom  District Manager(TDM)  or  Telecom  District  Engineer(TDE),  as  the  case  may  be.    In  the  case  of  Metro Districts  viz.  Delhi,  Mumbai,  Kolkata  and  Chennai,  one  TAC  each  will  be  constituted  under  the Chairmanship of the concerned Area General Manager.

The TACs will be functioning in the following manner:-

## Nomination of MPs in TAC

- i. The Hon'ble Members of Parliament shall be members of only one TAC falling within their constituency by virtue of their office.  In case of nominated Rajya Sabha MPs, they  may  be  nominated  in  the  TAC  falling  within  their  adopted  constituency  [with regard to the constituency adopted for Member of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) programme].  However, Hon'ble MPs who become ministers shall not be nominated/cease to continue in the TAC.
- ii. Hon'ble MPs shall be given Co-Chairman status in TAC meetings in which he/she is present.
- iii. Hon'ble MPs shall be member of a TAC till the tenure of the TAC or remains member of the House (Rajya Sabha/Lok Sabha) whichever is earlier.

## Strength of TAC

The maximum strength of members in a TAC will be 20.  However, the strength could be revised through specific orders of Department of Telecom in any special case.

## Nomination of TAC member

It  would  be  ensured  that  the  nominated  TAC  member  have  no  outstanding  telephone bills/dues pending in Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL)/Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL).

September 10, 2004

## Facilities to TAC members

- i. Each TAC member will be provided with a rent-free telephone connection on out of turn  basis  at  his/her  residence  within  the  area  of  jurisdiction  of  the  concerned  TAC with 500+ free calls available to general subscribers as per commercial policy without ISD/STD facility.
- ii. As per the prevailing policy, calls above the free calls shall be charged in appropriate commercial plan.  Fixed WLL telephone connection shall be provided where the area is technically non-feasible.  CLIP facility shall be provided to a TAC member if he/she abides by the commercial formalities.  CLIP telephone/device shall be procured by the TAC members.
- iii. TAC members shall be permitted for conversion of his/her working private telephone connection into TAC telephone provided under the capacity of TAC member subject to withdrawal of STD/ISD facility if available and clearance of up to date dues, if any. It will be incumbent upon each TAC members to pay the telephone bill above the free calls as per the commercial policy applicable to the member from time to time.
- iv. Concerned GM level officer will ensure that the excess billing amount is realized from the TAC member within the prescribed time limit and would initiate appropriate action as  per  rule.    All  the  commercial  policies  for  realization  of  due/outstanding  shall  be applicable to TAC members also.
- v. On  expiry  of  his/her  tenure,  a  member  of  TAC  may  be  allowed  to  retain  his/her telephone connection on private account.

## TA/DA to TAC members for attending TAC meeting

Each  TAC  shall  hold  at  least  two  meetings  every  year  preferably  when  Parliament/State Legislature is not in session.

- i. Hon'ble Members of Parliament/MLAs are entitled to avail TA/DA as per the rules applicable to them (FRSR-II Appendix 2).
- ii. Non-official TAC members are also entitled to avail TA/DA (conveyance allowance for local) as per the rule (FRSR-II).

## Functions of the TAC

- i. TAC shall work as interface between telephone consumers and BSNL/MTNL.
- ii. Giving the public a confidence that their grievances are properly represented as well as redressed.
- iii. Educate  public/bring  awareness  among  telephone  consumers  about  the  various services provided by BSNL/MTNL.
- iv. To suggest measures for efficiency.

To

The Chairman-cum-Managing Director, BSNL, New Delhi The Chairman-cum-Managing Director, MTNL, New Delhi

Copy to:-

1. All the Hon'ble MPs (Liaison  Officer(Phones),  DOT,  Room  No.  520,  5 th Floor,  Parliament  House  Annexe,  New Delhi-1.  He is requested to bring it to the notice of all the Hon'ble MPs without fail).
2. PS to MOC&IT/MOS(C&IT)
3. PPS to Chairman(TC)
4. PPS to Member(S)
5. Press Information Officer, DOT; PIB, Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi

## Termination of membership of TAC member

The  membership  of  a  TAC  can  be  terminated  any  time  by  the  orders  from  Department  of Telecommunications.    Additionally,  the  ineligibility  conditions  which  may  also  attract termination are following:-

- i. If  any  member fails  to  attend  two  consecutive  TAC  meetings  of  the  TAC  of  which he/she is a member.
- ii. On  the  report  of  the  Chairman  of  the  TAC  on  misbehaviour/unsocial  or  antisocial activities on the part of the TAC members.
- iii. If the members runs into outstanding arrears of his/her telephone connection.

Kindly acknowledge the receipt of this circular.

Hindi version will follow.

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(AJEET SINGH) Director(PHP) Tel. No. 23372531

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(Sangeeta Chugh) Asstt. Director General(PHP-I) Tel. No. 23725254

Annexure  referred  to  in  reply  of  para  (a)  and  (b)  of  Lok  Sabha  Unstarred  Question  No.    2760  to  be answered on 10th July, 2019 raised by Hon'ble Member of Parliament Shri Rebati Tripura, Shri Santosh Kumar Shri Anurag Sharma and Shri Vijay Kumar Dubey, regarding Telephone Advisory Committee

No. 5-15/2005-PHP Government of India/Bharat Sarkar Ministry of Communications & Information Technology Department of Telecommunications

Room No. 516, PHP Section, 20, Ashoka Road, Sanchar Bhawan, New Delhi.

Dated   the 23 rd  May, 2016

## C I R C U L A R

## Subject: - Granting the status of Chairman to Hon'ble MPs in TAC meetings-regarding.

In partial modification of this department earlier circulars No. 8-01/2004-PHP dated 10.09.2004 and No. 08-01/2009-PHP  dated  26.10.2010,  it  has  been  decided  by  the  competent  authority  that  henceforth,  Hon'ble Member of Parliament (MP) shall be given status of Chairman in Telephone Advisory Committee (TAC) meetings in which he/she is present.  However, in cases where the area of jurisdiction of a TAC exceeds the constituency area of one MP viz. more than one MP in a TAC, there one MP will be given the Chairman status in Telephone Advisory Committee (TAC) in the meetings in which he/she is present, while other MPs will be given the status of Co-Chairman.

2. Further,  the  concerned  Principal  General  Manager  (PGM),  General  Manager  (GM),  Telecom  District Manager  (TDM)  or  Telecom  District  Engineer  (TDE)  be  granted  the  status  of  Member-Secretary  in  TAC meetings.    In  case  of  Metro  Districts  viz  Delhi,  Mumbai,  Kolkata  and  Chennai,  the  concerned  Area  General Manager shall be granted the status of Member-Secretary in TAC meetings.
3.    The circulars No. 8-01/2004-PHP dated 10.09.2004 and circular No. 08-01/2009-PHP dated 26.10.2010 stand modified upto the above extent and rest of their content will remain unchanged.
4.          This has the approval of Hon'ble MOC& IT.

To

1. The Chairman-cum, Managing Director, MTNL, New Delhi.
2. The Chairman-cum, Managing Director, BSNL, New Delhi.
3. All CGMs Telecom Circles.
4. All Heads of Telecom District.

## Copy to:-

1. PS to Hon'ble MoC&IT.
2. PPS to Secretary (T).
3. PPS to Member (S)/Member (F)/ Member (T).
4. Addl. Secretary (T)/ Administrator (USOF)/ Advisor (O)/Advisor (T)/ Advisor (F)/ Wireless Advisor (WPC).
5. All Sr. DDGs/ All JSs/ Legal Advisor, DOT.
6. The Director (IT), DOT for uploading the circular on DoT website.
7. All sections/wings of DoT.
8. Guard File.

************

-Sd/(Urvashi  Sangwan) Assistant Director General (PHP) Tel- 23036255