New Delhi: Government on Thursday asked telecom
operators to provide a "fool-proof" plan for verification of
customers in Jammu and Kashmir before a decision to revoke the
pre-paid mobile services ban there could be contemplated.
Denying media reports that the ban had been revoked in
the militancy-hit state, Home Minister P C Chidambaram made it
clear that until he was "satisfied" with the plan of the
telecom operators, the issue would not be revisited.
"We are holding discussions with the service providers.
As I said earlier, if the service providers come up with a
fool-proof plan of 100 per cent verification and I am
satisfied with the plan then we will revisit the issue,"
Chidambaram told reporters here.
The state government had asked the Centre to formulate a
policy soon for the telecom operators for restarting pre-paid
mobile services in the state which should include stringent
action, besides financial penalties for firms not complying
with verification process.
The government feels that mere imposition of a financial
penalty was not helping the security agencies and that a law
needs to be formulated under which stringent action could be
taken against erring officials, besides imposing a financial
burden on the telecom operators, official sources said.
Earlier this month, the service operators were asked by
the government to fine-tune verification procedures of
pre-paid service to customers.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, December 31, 2009, 19:54