Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 73
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Code Context


        trigger_error($message, E_USER_DEPRECATED);

    }
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 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php.'
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deprecationWarning - CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311
Cake\Http\ServerRequest::offsetGet() - CORE/src/Http/ServerRequest.php, line 2421
App\Controller\ArtileDetailController::printArticle() - APP/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line 73
Cake\Controller\Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/src/Controller/Controller.php, line 610
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 120
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 94
Cake\Http\BaseApplication::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/BaseApplication.php, line 235
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Routing\Middleware\RoutingMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Routing/Middleware/RoutingMiddleware.php, line 162
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Routing\Middleware\AssetMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Routing/Middleware/AssetMiddleware.php, line 88
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Error\Middleware\ErrorHandlerMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Error/Middleware/ErrorHandlerMiddleware.php, line 96
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Http\Runner::run() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 51
Cake\Http\Server::run() - CORE/src/Http/Server.php, line 98

Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 74
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Code Context


        trigger_error($message, E_USER_DEPRECATED);

    }
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 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php.'
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deprecationWarning - CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311
Cake\Http\ServerRequest::offsetGet() - CORE/src/Http/ServerRequest.php, line 2421
App\Controller\ArtileDetailController::printArticle() - APP/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line 74
Cake\Controller\Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/src/Controller/Controller.php, line 610
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 120
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 94
Cake\Http\BaseApplication::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/BaseApplication.php, line 235
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Routing\Middleware\RoutingMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Routing/Middleware/RoutingMiddleware.php, line 162
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Routing\Middleware\AssetMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Routing/Middleware/AssetMiddleware.php, line 88
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Error\Middleware\ErrorHandlerMiddleware::__invoke() - CORE/src/Error/Middleware/ErrorHandlerMiddleware.php, line 96
Cake\Http\Runner::__invoke() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 65
Cake\Http\Runner::run() - CORE/src/Http/Runner.php, line 51
Cake\Http\Server::run() - CORE/src/Http/Server.php, line 98

Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
Code Context
            if (Configure::read('debug')) {

                trigger_error($message, E_USER_WARNING);

            } else {
$response = object(Cake\Http\Response) {

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    <link rel="canonical" href="https://im4change.in/<pre class="cake-error"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr67f1f93254ec9-trace').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr67f1f93254ec9-trace').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none');"><b>Notice</b> (8)</a>: Undefined variable: urlPrefix [<b>APP/Template/Layout/printlayout.ctp</b>, line <b>8</b>]<div id="cakeErr67f1f93254ec9-trace" class="cake-stack-trace" style="display: none;"><a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr67f1f93254ec9-code').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr67f1f93254ec9-code').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Code</a> <a href="javascript:void(0);" onclick="document.getElementById('cakeErr67f1f93254ec9-context').style.display = (document.getElementById('cakeErr67f1f93254ec9-context').style.display == 'none' ? '' : 'none')">Context</a><pre id="cakeErr67f1f93254ec9-code" class="cake-code-dump" style="display: none;"><code><span style="color: #000000"><span style="color: #0000BB"></span><span style="color: #007700">&lt;</span><span style="color: #0000BB">head</span><span style="color: #007700">&gt;
</span></span></code>
<span class="code-highlight"><code><span style="color: #000000">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&lt;link&nbsp;rel="canonical"&nbsp;href="<span style="color: #0000BB">&lt;?php&nbsp;</span><span style="color: #007700">echo&nbsp;</span><span style="color: #0000BB">Configure</span><span style="color: #007700">::</span><span style="color: #0000BB">read</span><span style="color: #007700">(</span><span style="color: #DD0000">'SITE_URL'</span><span style="color: #007700">);&nbsp;</span><span style="color: #0000BB">?&gt;&lt;?php&nbsp;</span><span style="color: #007700">echo&nbsp;</span><span style="color: #0000BB">$urlPrefix</span><span style="color: #007700">;</span><span style="color: #0000BB">?&gt;&lt;?php&nbsp;</span><span style="color: #007700">echo&nbsp;</span><span style="color: #0000BB">$article_current</span><span style="color: #007700">-&gt;</span><span style="color: #0000BB">category</span><span style="color: #007700">-&gt;</span><span style="color: #0000BB">slug</span><span style="color: #007700">;&nbsp;</span><span style="color: #0000BB">?&gt;</span>/<span style="color: #0000BB">&lt;?php&nbsp;</span><span style="color: #007700">echo&nbsp;</span><span style="color: #0000BB">$article_current</span><span style="color: #007700">-&gt;</span><span style="color: #0000BB">seo_url</span><span style="color: #007700">;&nbsp;</span><span style="color: #0000BB">?&gt;</span>.html"/&gt;
</span></code></span>
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		&#039;title&#039; =&gt; &#039;FinMin shoots down DoT&amp;#039;s mobile tower plan in Naxal-hit areas-Sandeep Joshi&#039;,
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&lt;em&gt;&amp;lsquo;BSNL chosen for project without tender process and it has quoted high price&#039;&lt;/em&gt;
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The Department of Telecommunication&#039;s plans to go for extensive erection of mobile towers in the Left-Wing extremism-affected areas, to help people and the security forces stay connected, have been opposed by the Finance Ministry, which cited selection of the state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd for the project without following any tender process and its quoting high costs for installation and maintenance.
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In its draft note to the Cabinet, the Ministry has objected to the DoT proposal seeking Rs.5,809.38-crore subsidy for the BSNL from the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), created for increasing mobile penetration in rural areas, for commissioning and maintaining 2,199 sites (towers) in LWE areas for five years.
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The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the DoT have been pushing for improving mobile services in six Naxal-affected States covering 80 districts. This exercise, the officials believe, will help in tackling the problem.
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The Finance Ministry has noted that the subsidy being sought is &amp;ldquo;very large&amp;rdquo; compared to the total subsidy of Rs. 211.84 crore disbursed till 2011-end from the USOF for creation and maintenance of 7,296 towers and 15,407 base transceiver stations (BTS). &amp;ldquo;This huge difference in costs cannot be accepted solely on the basis of estimates provided by the BSNL,&amp;rdquo; it says.
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&amp;ldquo;Apparently, out of the 2,199 sites located in the LWE-affected areas, the BSNL has already installed 363 mobile sites. How the BSNL was nominated for this work has not been stated. In case, the BSNL is already authorised for this work, then the necessity for Cabinet approval for the work to be entrusted to the BSNL [on a nomination basis] is not clear.&amp;rdquo;
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Also, DoT the proposal has failed &amp;ldquo;to provide adequate justification for assigning the work to the BSNL on nomination basis,&amp;rdquo; says the Finance Ministry note.
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Criticising the BSNL&#039;s work culture, the note says its &amp;ldquo;capacity appears to be overstretched&amp;rdquo; and it &amp;ldquo;has acquired a reputation for large delays in execution and shoddy performance. There is a possibility that the BSNL will be executing even the present work by subcontracting, in which case, there can be very little reason for assigning the work to the BSNL on nomination basis.&amp;rdquo;
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&lt;br /&gt;
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Asking the DoT to formulate the proposal for appraisal by the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC), the Finance Ministry has rejected its contention that the LWE-affected areas are commercially unviable. &amp;ldquo;Any assumption about the [lack of] revenue generating potential in the LWE areas should be backed with evidence in the form of field trials or sample surveys.&amp;rdquo;
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&lt;br /&gt;
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On the plea that the services should be free of cost if they are utilised by the armed forces or the police, the note says &amp;ldquo;such expenditure should be booked to the accounts of the MHA or the State government rather than being debited to the USOF.&amp;rdquo;
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Meanwhile, a senior Telecom Ministry functionary said the price quoted for installing towers and its maintenance was on the higher side, though he justified the DoT entrusting the task to the BSNL. &amp;ldquo;Higher quoting of prices and that too without any tender process seems to have jeopardised the project as of now. We will go the government again with the revised project which is crucial to the strategy to fight Naxalism,&amp;rdquo; the official told The Hindu .
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The BSNL was selected as only a government agency could work in a disturbed area and as it would have the support of all government agencies, which was crucial for such an important project, he said.
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&amp;lsquo;BSNL chosen for project without tender process and it has quoted high price&#039;





The Department of Telecommunication&#039;s plans to go for extensive erection of mobile towers in the Left-Wing extremism-affected areas, to help people and the security forces stay connected, have...&#039;,
	&#039;disp&#039; =&gt; &#039;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;lsquo;BSNL chosen for project without tender process and it has quoted high price&#039;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;The Department of Telecommunication&#039;s plans to go for extensive erection of mobile towers in the Left-Wing extremism-affected areas, to help people and the security forces stay connected, have been opposed by the Finance Ministry, which cited selection of the state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd for the project without following any tender process and its quoting high costs for installation and maintenance.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;In its draft note to the Cabinet, the Ministry has objected to the DoT proposal seeking Rs.5,809.38-crore subsidy for the BSNL from the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), created for increasing mobile penetration in rural areas, for commissioning and maintaining 2,199 sites (towers) in LWE areas for five years.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the DoT have been pushing for improving mobile services in six Naxal-affected States covering 80 districts. This exercise, the officials believe, will help in tackling the problem.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;The Finance Ministry has noted that the subsidy being sought is &amp;ldquo;very large&amp;rdquo; compared to the total subsidy of Rs. 211.84 crore disbursed till 2011-end from the USOF for creation and maintenance of 7,296 towers and 15,407 base transceiver stations (BTS). &amp;ldquo;This huge difference in costs cannot be accepted solely on the basis of estimates provided by the BSNL,&amp;rdquo; it says.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&amp;ldquo;Apparently, out of the 2,199 sites located in the LWE-affected areas, the BSNL has already installed 363 mobile sites. How the BSNL was nominated for this work has not been stated. In case, the BSNL is already authorised for this work, then the necessity for Cabinet approval for the work to be entrusted to the BSNL [on a nomination basis] is not clear.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;Also, DoT the proposal has failed &amp;ldquo;to provide adequate justification for assigning the work to the BSNL on nomination basis,&amp;rdquo; says the Finance Ministry note.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;Criticising the BSNL&#039;s work culture, the note says its &amp;ldquo;capacity appears to be overstretched&amp;rdquo; and it &amp;ldquo;has acquired a reputation for large delays in execution and shoddy performance. There is a possibility that the BSNL will be executing even the present work by subcontracting, in which case, there can be very little reason for assigning the work to the BSNL on nomination basis.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;Asking the DoT to formulate the proposal for appraisal by the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC), the Finance Ministry has rejected its contention that the LWE-affected areas are commercially unviable. &amp;ldquo;Any assumption about the [lack of] revenue generating potential in the LWE areas should be backed with evidence in the form of field trials or sample surveys.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;On the plea that the services should be free of cost if they are utilised by the armed forces or the police, the note says &amp;ldquo;such expenditure should be booked to the accounts of the MHA or the State government rather than being debited to the USOF.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;Meanwhile, a senior Telecom Ministry functionary said the price quoted for installing towers and its maintenance was on the higher side, though he justified the DoT entrusting the task to the BSNL. &amp;ldquo;Higher quoting of prices and that too without any tender process seems to have jeopardised the project as of now. We will go the government again with the revised project which is crucial to the strategy to fight Naxalism,&amp;rdquo; the official told The Hindu .&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;The BSNL was selected as only a government agency could work in a disturbed area and as it would have the support of all government agencies, which was crucial for such an important project, he said.&lt;/div&gt;&#039;,
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The Department of Telecommunication&#039;s plans to go for extensive erection of mobile towers in the Left-Wing extremism-affected areas, to help people and the security forces stay connected, have been opposed by the Finance Ministry, which cited selection of the state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd for the project without following any tender process and its quoting high costs for installation and maintenance.
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
In its draft note to the Cabinet, the Ministry has objected to the DoT proposal seeking Rs.5,809.38-crore subsidy for the BSNL from the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), created for increasing mobile penetration in rural areas, for commissioning and maintaining 2,199 sites (towers) in LWE areas for five years.
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the DoT have been pushing for improving mobile services in six Naxal-affected States covering 80 districts. This exercise, the officials believe, will help in tackling the problem.
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
The Finance Ministry has noted that the subsidy being sought is &amp;ldquo;very large&amp;rdquo; compared to the total subsidy of Rs. 211.84 crore disbursed till 2011-end from the USOF for creation and maintenance of 7,296 towers and 15,407 base transceiver stations (BTS). &amp;ldquo;This huge difference in costs cannot be accepted solely on the basis of estimates provided by the BSNL,&amp;rdquo; it says.
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&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
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&amp;ldquo;Apparently, out of the 2,199 sites located in the LWE-affected areas, the BSNL has already installed 363 mobile sites. How the BSNL was nominated for this work has not been stated. In case, the BSNL is already authorised for this work, then the necessity for Cabinet approval for the work to be entrusted to the BSNL [on a nomination basis] is not clear.&amp;rdquo;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
Also, DoT the proposal has failed &amp;ldquo;to provide adequate justification for assigning the work to the BSNL on nomination basis,&amp;rdquo; says the Finance Ministry note.
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
Criticising the BSNL&#039;s work culture, the note says its &amp;ldquo;capacity appears to be overstretched&amp;rdquo; and it &amp;ldquo;has acquired a reputation for large delays in execution and shoddy performance. There is a possibility that the BSNL will be executing even the present work by subcontracting, in which case, there can be very little reason for assigning the work to the BSNL on nomination basis.&amp;rdquo;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
Asking the DoT to formulate the proposal for appraisal by the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC), the Finance Ministry has rejected its contention that the LWE-affected areas are commercially unviable. &amp;ldquo;Any assumption about the [lack of] revenue generating potential in the LWE areas should be backed with evidence in the form of field trials or sample surveys.&amp;rdquo;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
On the plea that the services should be free of cost if they are utilised by the armed forces or the police, the note says &amp;ldquo;such expenditure should be booked to the accounts of the MHA or the State government rather than being debited to the USOF.&amp;rdquo;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
Meanwhile, a senior Telecom Ministry functionary said the price quoted for installing towers and its maintenance was on the higher side, though he justified the DoT entrusting the task to the BSNL. &amp;ldquo;Higher quoting of prices and that too without any tender process seems to have jeopardised the project as of now. We will go the government again with the revised project which is crucial to the strategy to fight Naxalism,&amp;rdquo; the official told The Hindu .
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&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
The BSNL was selected as only a government agency could work in a disturbed area and as it would have the support of all government agencies, which was crucial for such an important project, he said.
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&amp;lsquo;BSNL chosen for project without tender process and it has quoted high price&#039;





The Department of Telecommunication&#039;s plans to go for extensive erection of mobile towers in the Left-Wing extremism-affected areas, to help people and the security forces stay connected, have...&#039;
$disp = &#039;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;lsquo;BSNL chosen for project without tender process and it has quoted high price&#039;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;The Department of Telecommunication&#039;s plans to go for extensive erection of mobile towers in the Left-Wing extremism-affected areas, to help people and the security forces stay connected, have been opposed by the Finance Ministry, which cited selection of the state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd for the project without following any tender process and its quoting high costs for installation and maintenance.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;In its draft note to the Cabinet, the Ministry has objected to the DoT proposal seeking Rs.5,809.38-crore subsidy for the BSNL from the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), created for increasing mobile penetration in rural areas, for commissioning and maintaining 2,199 sites (towers) in LWE areas for five years.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the DoT have been pushing for improving mobile services in six Naxal-affected States covering 80 districts. This exercise, the officials believe, will help in tackling the problem.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;The Finance Ministry has noted that the subsidy being sought is &amp;ldquo;very large&amp;rdquo; compared to the total subsidy of Rs. 211.84 crore disbursed till 2011-end from the USOF for creation and maintenance of 7,296 towers and 15,407 base transceiver stations (BTS). &amp;ldquo;This huge difference in costs cannot be accepted solely on the basis of estimates provided by the BSNL,&amp;rdquo; it says.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&amp;ldquo;Apparently, out of the 2,199 sites located in the LWE-affected areas, the BSNL has already installed 363 mobile sites. How the BSNL was nominated for this work has not been stated. In case, the BSNL is already authorised for this work, then the necessity for Cabinet approval for the work to be entrusted to the BSNL [on a nomination basis] is not clear.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;Also, DoT the proposal has failed &amp;ldquo;to provide adequate justification for assigning the work to the BSNL on nomination basis,&amp;rdquo; says the Finance Ministry note.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;Criticising the BSNL&#039;s work culture, the note says its &amp;ldquo;capacity appears to be overstretched&amp;rdquo; and it &amp;ldquo;has acquired a reputation for large delays in execution and shoddy performance. There is a possibility that the BSNL will be executing even the present work by subcontracting, in which case, there can be very little reason for assigning the work to the BSNL on nomination basis.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;Asking the DoT to formulate the proposal for appraisal by the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC), the Finance Ministry has rejected its contention that the LWE-affected areas are commercially unviable. &amp;ldquo;Any assumption about the [lack of] revenue generating potential in the LWE areas should be backed with evidence in the form of field trials or sample surveys.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;On the plea that the services should be free of cost if they are utilised by the armed forces or the police, the note says &amp;ldquo;such expenditure should be booked to the accounts of the MHA or the State government rather than being debited to the USOF.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;Meanwhile, a senior Telecom Ministry functionary said the price quoted for installing towers and its maintenance was on the higher side, though he justified the DoT entrusting the task to the BSNL. &amp;ldquo;Higher quoting of prices and that too without any tender process seems to have jeopardised the project as of now. We will go the government again with the revised project which is crucial to the strategy to fight Naxalism,&amp;rdquo; the official told The Hindu .&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;The BSNL was selected as only a government agency could work in a disturbed area and as it would have the support of all government agencies, which was crucial for such an important project, he said.&lt;/div&gt;&#039;
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&lsquo;BSNL chosen for project without tender process and it has quoted high price'





The Department of Telecommunication's plans to go for extensive erection of mobile towers in the Left-Wing extremism-affected areas, to help people and the security forces stay connected, have..."/>
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                <strong>FinMin shoots down DoT&#039;s mobile tower plan in Naxal-hit areas-Sandeep Joshi</strong></h1>
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                <div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify"><em>&lsquo;BSNL chosen for project without tender process and it has quoted high price'</em></div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">The Department of Telecommunication's plans to go for extensive erection of mobile towers in the Left-Wing extremism-affected areas, to help people and the security forces stay connected, have been opposed by the Finance Ministry, which cited selection of the state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd for the project without following any tender process and its quoting high costs for installation and maintenance.</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">In its draft note to the Cabinet, the Ministry has objected to the DoT proposal seeking Rs.5,809.38-crore subsidy for the BSNL from the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), created for increasing mobile penetration in rural areas, for commissioning and maintaining 2,199 sites (towers) in LWE areas for five years.</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the DoT have been pushing for improving mobile services in six Naxal-affected States covering 80 districts. This exercise, the officials believe, will help in tackling the problem.</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">The Finance Ministry has noted that the subsidy being sought is &ldquo;very large&rdquo; compared to the total subsidy of Rs. 211.84 crore disbursed till 2011-end from the USOF for creation and maintenance of 7,296 towers and 15,407 base transceiver stations (BTS). &ldquo;This huge difference in costs cannot be accepted solely on the basis of estimates provided by the BSNL,&rdquo; it says.</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">&ldquo;Apparently, out of the 2,199 sites located in the LWE-affected areas, the BSNL has already installed 363 mobile sites. How the BSNL was nominated for this work has not been stated. In case, the BSNL is already authorised for this work, then the necessity for Cabinet approval for the work to be entrusted to the BSNL [on a nomination basis] is not clear.&rdquo;</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">Also, DoT the proposal has failed &ldquo;to provide adequate justification for assigning the work to the BSNL on nomination basis,&rdquo; says the Finance Ministry note.</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">Criticising the BSNL's work culture, the note says its &ldquo;capacity appears to be overstretched&rdquo; and it &ldquo;has acquired a reputation for large delays in execution and shoddy performance. There is a possibility that the BSNL will be executing even the present work by subcontracting, in which case, there can be very little reason for assigning the work to the BSNL on nomination basis.&rdquo;</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">Asking the DoT to formulate the proposal for appraisal by the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC), the Finance Ministry has rejected its contention that the LWE-affected areas are commercially unviable. &ldquo;Any assumption about the [lack of] revenue generating potential in the LWE areas should be backed with evidence in the form of field trials or sample surveys.&rdquo;</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">On the plea that the services should be free of cost if they are utilised by the armed forces or the police, the note says &ldquo;such expenditure should be booked to the accounts of the MHA or the State government rather than being debited to the USOF.&rdquo;</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">Meanwhile, a senior Telecom Ministry functionary said the price quoted for installing towers and its maintenance was on the higher side, though he justified the DoT entrusting the task to the BSNL. &ldquo;Higher quoting of prices and that too without any tender process seems to have jeopardised the project as of now. We will go the government again with the revised project which is crucial to the strategy to fight Naxalism,&rdquo; the official told The Hindu .</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">The BSNL was selected as only a government agency could work in a disturbed area and as it would have the support of all government agencies, which was crucial for such an important project, he said.</div>               </font>
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The Department of Telecommunication&#039;s plans to go for extensive erection of mobile towers in the Left-Wing extremism-affected areas, to help people and the security forces stay connected, have been opposed by the Finance Ministry, which cited selection of the state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd for the project without following any tender process and its quoting high costs for installation and maintenance.
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In its draft note to the Cabinet, the Ministry has objected to the DoT proposal seeking Rs.5,809.38-crore subsidy for the BSNL from the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), created for increasing mobile penetration in rural areas, for commissioning and maintaining 2,199 sites (towers) in LWE areas for five years.
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The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the DoT have been pushing for improving mobile services in six Naxal-affected States covering 80 districts. This exercise, the officials believe, will help in tackling the problem.
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The Finance Ministry has noted that the subsidy being sought is &amp;ldquo;very large&amp;rdquo; compared to the total subsidy of Rs. 211.84 crore disbursed till 2011-end from the USOF for creation and maintenance of 7,296 towers and 15,407 base transceiver stations (BTS). &amp;ldquo;This huge difference in costs cannot be accepted solely on the basis of estimates provided by the BSNL,&amp;rdquo; it says.
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&amp;ldquo;Apparently, out of the 2,199 sites located in the LWE-affected areas, the BSNL has already installed 363 mobile sites. How the BSNL was nominated for this work has not been stated. In case, the BSNL is already authorised for this work, then the necessity for Cabinet approval for the work to be entrusted to the BSNL [on a nomination basis] is not clear.&amp;rdquo;
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Also, DoT the proposal has failed &amp;ldquo;to provide adequate justification for assigning the work to the BSNL on nomination basis,&amp;rdquo; says the Finance Ministry note.
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Criticising the BSNL&#039;s work culture, the note says its &amp;ldquo;capacity appears to be overstretched&amp;rdquo; and it &amp;ldquo;has acquired a reputation for large delays in execution and shoddy performance. There is a possibility that the BSNL will be executing even the present work by subcontracting, in which case, there can be very little reason for assigning the work to the BSNL on nomination basis.&amp;rdquo;
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Asking the DoT to formulate the proposal for appraisal by the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC), the Finance Ministry has rejected its contention that the LWE-affected areas are commercially unviable. &amp;ldquo;Any assumption about the [lack of] revenue generating potential in the LWE areas should be backed with evidence in the form of field trials or sample surveys.&amp;rdquo;
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On the plea that the services should be free of cost if they are utilised by the armed forces or the police, the note says &amp;ldquo;such expenditure should be booked to the accounts of the MHA or the State government rather than being debited to the USOF.&amp;rdquo;
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&amp;lsquo;BSNL chosen for project without tender process and it has quoted high price&#039;





The Department of Telecommunication&#039;s plans to go for extensive erection of mobile towers in the Left-Wing extremism-affected areas, to help people and the security forces stay connected, have...&#039;,
	&#039;disp&#039; =&gt; &#039;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;lsquo;BSNL chosen for project without tender process and it has quoted high price&#039;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;The Department of Telecommunication&#039;s plans to go for extensive erection of mobile towers in the Left-Wing extremism-affected areas, to help people and the security forces stay connected, have been opposed by the Finance Ministry, which cited selection of the state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd for the project without following any tender process and its quoting high costs for installation and maintenance.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;In its draft note to the Cabinet, the Ministry has objected to the DoT proposal seeking Rs.5,809.38-crore subsidy for the BSNL from the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), created for increasing mobile penetration in rural areas, for commissioning and maintaining 2,199 sites (towers) in LWE areas for five years.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the DoT have been pushing for improving mobile services in six Naxal-affected States covering 80 districts. This exercise, the officials believe, will help in tackling the problem.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;The Finance Ministry has noted that the subsidy being sought is &amp;ldquo;very large&amp;rdquo; compared to the total subsidy of Rs. 211.84 crore disbursed till 2011-end from the USOF for creation and maintenance of 7,296 towers and 15,407 base transceiver stations (BTS). &amp;ldquo;This huge difference in costs cannot be accepted solely on the basis of estimates provided by the BSNL,&amp;rdquo; it says.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&amp;ldquo;Apparently, out of the 2,199 sites located in the LWE-affected areas, the BSNL has already installed 363 mobile sites. How the BSNL was nominated for this work has not been stated. In case, the BSNL is already authorised for this work, then the necessity for Cabinet approval for the work to be entrusted to the BSNL [on a nomination basis] is not clear.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;Also, DoT the proposal has failed &amp;ldquo;to provide adequate justification for assigning the work to the BSNL on nomination basis,&amp;rdquo; says the Finance Ministry note.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;Criticising the BSNL&#039;s work culture, the note says its &amp;ldquo;capacity appears to be overstretched&amp;rdquo; and it &amp;ldquo;has acquired a reputation for large delays in execution and shoddy performance. There is a possibility that the BSNL will be executing even the present work by subcontracting, in which case, there can be very little reason for assigning the work to the BSNL on nomination basis.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;Asking the DoT to formulate the proposal for appraisal by the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC), the Finance Ministry has rejected its contention that the LWE-affected areas are commercially unviable. &amp;ldquo;Any assumption about the [lack of] revenue generating potential in the LWE areas should be backed with evidence in the form of field trials or sample surveys.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;On the plea that the services should be free of cost if they are utilised by the armed forces or the police, the note says &amp;ldquo;such expenditure should be booked to the accounts of the MHA or the State government rather than being debited to the USOF.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;Meanwhile, a senior Telecom Ministry functionary said the price quoted for installing towers and its maintenance was on the higher side, though he justified the DoT entrusting the task to the BSNL. &amp;ldquo;Higher quoting of prices and that too without any tender process seems to have jeopardised the project as of now. We will go the government again with the revised project which is crucial to the strategy to fight Naxalism,&amp;rdquo; the official told The Hindu .&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;The BSNL was selected as only a government agency could work in a disturbed area and as it would have the support of all government agencies, which was crucial for such an important project, he said.&lt;/div&gt;&#039;,
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	&#039;title&#039; =&gt; &#039;FinMin shoots down DoT&amp;#039;s mobile tower plan in Naxal-hit areas-Sandeep Joshi&#039;,
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&lt;em&gt;&amp;lsquo;BSNL chosen for project without tender process and it has quoted high price&#039;&lt;/em&gt;
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&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
The Department of Telecommunication&#039;s plans to go for extensive erection of mobile towers in the Left-Wing extremism-affected areas, to help people and the security forces stay connected, have been opposed by the Finance Ministry, which cited selection of the state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd for the project without following any tender process and its quoting high costs for installation and maintenance.
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
In its draft note to the Cabinet, the Ministry has objected to the DoT proposal seeking Rs.5,809.38-crore subsidy for the BSNL from the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), created for increasing mobile penetration in rural areas, for commissioning and maintaining 2,199 sites (towers) in LWE areas for five years.
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the DoT have been pushing for improving mobile services in six Naxal-affected States covering 80 districts. This exercise, the officials believe, will help in tackling the problem.
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
The Finance Ministry has noted that the subsidy being sought is &amp;ldquo;very large&amp;rdquo; compared to the total subsidy of Rs. 211.84 crore disbursed till 2011-end from the USOF for creation and maintenance of 7,296 towers and 15,407 base transceiver stations (BTS). &amp;ldquo;This huge difference in costs cannot be accepted solely on the basis of estimates provided by the BSNL,&amp;rdquo; it says.
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
&amp;ldquo;Apparently, out of the 2,199 sites located in the LWE-affected areas, the BSNL has already installed 363 mobile sites. How the BSNL was nominated for this work has not been stated. In case, the BSNL is already authorised for this work, then the necessity for Cabinet approval for the work to be entrusted to the BSNL [on a nomination basis] is not clear.&amp;rdquo;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
Also, DoT the proposal has failed &amp;ldquo;to provide adequate justification for assigning the work to the BSNL on nomination basis,&amp;rdquo; says the Finance Ministry note.
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
Criticising the BSNL&#039;s work culture, the note says its &amp;ldquo;capacity appears to be overstretched&amp;rdquo; and it &amp;ldquo;has acquired a reputation for large delays in execution and shoddy performance. There is a possibility that the BSNL will be executing even the present work by subcontracting, in which case, there can be very little reason for assigning the work to the BSNL on nomination basis.&amp;rdquo;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
Asking the DoT to formulate the proposal for appraisal by the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC), the Finance Ministry has rejected its contention that the LWE-affected areas are commercially unviable. &amp;ldquo;Any assumption about the [lack of] revenue generating potential in the LWE areas should be backed with evidence in the form of field trials or sample surveys.&amp;rdquo;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
On the plea that the services should be free of cost if they are utilised by the armed forces or the police, the note says &amp;ldquo;such expenditure should be booked to the accounts of the MHA or the State government rather than being debited to the USOF.&amp;rdquo;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
Meanwhile, a senior Telecom Ministry functionary said the price quoted for installing towers and its maintenance was on the higher side, though he justified the DoT entrusting the task to the BSNL. &amp;ldquo;Higher quoting of prices and that too without any tender process seems to have jeopardised the project as of now. We will go the government again with the revised project which is crucial to the strategy to fight Naxalism,&amp;rdquo; the official told The Hindu .
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
The BSNL was selected as only a government agency could work in a disturbed area and as it would have the support of all government agencies, which was crucial for such an important project, he said.
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$metaTitle = &#039;LATEST NEWS UPDATES | FinMin shoots down DoT&amp;#039;s mobile tower plan in Naxal-hit areas-Sandeep Joshi&#039;
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&amp;lsquo;BSNL chosen for project without tender process and it has quoted high price&#039;





The Department of Telecommunication&#039;s plans to go for extensive erection of mobile towers in the Left-Wing extremism-affected areas, to help people and the security forces stay connected, have...&#039;
$disp = &#039;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;lsquo;BSNL chosen for project without tender process and it has quoted high price&#039;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;The Department of Telecommunication&#039;s plans to go for extensive erection of mobile towers in the Left-Wing extremism-affected areas, to help people and the security forces stay connected, have been opposed by the Finance Ministry, which cited selection of the state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd for the project without following any tender process and its quoting high costs for installation and maintenance.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;In its draft note to the Cabinet, the Ministry has objected to the DoT proposal seeking Rs.5,809.38-crore subsidy for the BSNL from the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), created for increasing mobile penetration in rural areas, for commissioning and maintaining 2,199 sites (towers) in LWE areas for five years.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the DoT have been pushing for improving mobile services in six Naxal-affected States covering 80 districts. 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&lsquo;BSNL chosen for project without tender process and it has quoted high price'





The Department of Telecommunication's plans to go for extensive erection of mobile towers in the Left-Wing extremism-affected areas, to help people and the security forces stay connected, have..."/>
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            <h1 class="news_headlines" style="font-style:normal">
                <strong>FinMin shoots down DoT&#039;s mobile tower plan in Naxal-hit areas-Sandeep Joshi</strong></h1>
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                <div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify"><em>&lsquo;BSNL chosen for project without tender process and it has quoted high price'</em></div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">The Department of Telecommunication's plans to go for extensive erection of mobile towers in the Left-Wing extremism-affected areas, to help people and the security forces stay connected, have been opposed by the Finance Ministry, which cited selection of the state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd for the project without following any tender process and its quoting high costs for installation and maintenance.</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">In its draft note to the Cabinet, the Ministry has objected to the DoT proposal seeking Rs.5,809.38-crore subsidy for the BSNL from the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), created for increasing mobile penetration in rural areas, for commissioning and maintaining 2,199 sites (towers) in LWE areas for five years.</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the DoT have been pushing for improving mobile services in six Naxal-affected States covering 80 districts. This exercise, the officials believe, will help in tackling the problem.</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">The Finance Ministry has noted that the subsidy being sought is &ldquo;very large&rdquo; compared to the total subsidy of Rs. 211.84 crore disbursed till 2011-end from the USOF for creation and maintenance of 7,296 towers and 15,407 base transceiver stations (BTS). &ldquo;This huge difference in costs cannot be accepted solely on the basis of estimates provided by the BSNL,&rdquo; it says.</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">&ldquo;Apparently, out of the 2,199 sites located in the LWE-affected areas, the BSNL has already installed 363 mobile sites. How the BSNL was nominated for this work has not been stated. In case, the BSNL is already authorised for this work, then the necessity for Cabinet approval for the work to be entrusted to the BSNL [on a nomination basis] is not clear.&rdquo;</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">Also, DoT the proposal has failed &ldquo;to provide adequate justification for assigning the work to the BSNL on nomination basis,&rdquo; says the Finance Ministry note.</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">Criticising the BSNL's work culture, the note says its &ldquo;capacity appears to be overstretched&rdquo; and it &ldquo;has acquired a reputation for large delays in execution and shoddy performance. There is a possibility that the BSNL will be executing even the present work by subcontracting, in which case, there can be very little reason for assigning the work to the BSNL on nomination basis.&rdquo;</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">Asking the DoT to formulate the proposal for appraisal by the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC), the Finance Ministry has rejected its contention that the LWE-affected areas are commercially unviable. &ldquo;Any assumption about the [lack of] revenue generating potential in the LWE areas should be backed with evidence in the form of field trials or sample surveys.&rdquo;</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">On the plea that the services should be free of cost if they are utilised by the armed forces or the police, the note says &ldquo;such expenditure should be booked to the accounts of the MHA or the State government rather than being debited to the USOF.&rdquo;</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">Meanwhile, a senior Telecom Ministry functionary said the price quoted for installing towers and its maintenance was on the higher side, though he justified the DoT entrusting the task to the BSNL. &ldquo;Higher quoting of prices and that too without any tender process seems to have jeopardised the project as of now. We will go the government again with the revised project which is crucial to the strategy to fight Naxalism,&rdquo; the official told The Hindu .</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">The BSNL was selected as only a government agency could work in a disturbed area and as it would have the support of all government agencies, which was crucial for such an important project, he said.</div>               </font>
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The Department of Telecommunication&#039;s plans to go for extensive erection of mobile towers in the Left-Wing extremism-affected areas, to help people and the security forces stay connected, have been opposed by the Finance Ministry, which cited selection of the state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd for the project without following any tender process and its quoting high costs for installation and maintenance.
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In its draft note to the Cabinet, the Ministry has objected to the DoT proposal seeking Rs.5,809.38-crore subsidy for the BSNL from the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), created for increasing mobile penetration in rural areas, for commissioning and maintaining 2,199 sites (towers) in LWE areas for five years.
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The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the DoT have been pushing for improving mobile services in six Naxal-affected States covering 80 districts. This exercise, the officials believe, will help in tackling the problem.
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&amp;ldquo;Apparently, out of the 2,199 sites located in the LWE-affected areas, the BSNL has already installed 363 mobile sites. How the BSNL was nominated for this work has not been stated. In case, the BSNL is already authorised for this work, then the necessity for Cabinet approval for the work to be entrusted to the BSNL [on a nomination basis] is not clear.&amp;rdquo;
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Also, DoT the proposal has failed &amp;ldquo;to provide adequate justification for assigning the work to the BSNL on nomination basis,&amp;rdquo; says the Finance Ministry note.
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&amp;lsquo;BSNL chosen for project without tender process and it has quoted high price&#039;





The Department of Telecommunication&#039;s plans to go for extensive erection of mobile towers in the Left-Wing extremism-affected areas, to help people and the security forces stay connected, have...&#039;,
	&#039;disp&#039; =&gt; &#039;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;lsquo;BSNL chosen for project without tender process and it has quoted high price&#039;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;The Department of Telecommunication&#039;s plans to go for extensive erection of mobile towers in the Left-Wing extremism-affected areas, to help people and the security forces stay connected, have been opposed by the Finance Ministry, which cited selection of the state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd for the project without following any tender process and its quoting high costs for installation and maintenance.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;In its draft note to the Cabinet, the Ministry has objected to the DoT proposal seeking Rs.5,809.38-crore subsidy for the BSNL from the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), created for increasing mobile penetration in rural areas, for commissioning and maintaining 2,199 sites (towers) in LWE areas for five years.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the DoT have been pushing for improving mobile services in six Naxal-affected States covering 80 districts. This exercise, the officials believe, will help in tackling the problem.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;The Finance Ministry has noted that the subsidy being sought is &amp;ldquo;very large&amp;rdquo; compared to the total subsidy of Rs. 211.84 crore disbursed till 2011-end from the USOF for creation and maintenance of 7,296 towers and 15,407 base transceiver stations (BTS). &amp;ldquo;This huge difference in costs cannot be accepted solely on the basis of estimates provided by the BSNL,&amp;rdquo; it says.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&amp;ldquo;Apparently, out of the 2,199 sites located in the LWE-affected areas, the BSNL has already installed 363 mobile sites. How the BSNL was nominated for this work has not been stated. In case, the BSNL is already authorised for this work, then the necessity for Cabinet approval for the work to be entrusted to the BSNL [on a nomination basis] is not clear.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;Also, DoT the proposal has failed &amp;ldquo;to provide adequate justification for assigning the work to the BSNL on nomination basis,&amp;rdquo; says the Finance Ministry note.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;Criticising the BSNL&#039;s work culture, the note says its &amp;ldquo;capacity appears to be overstretched&amp;rdquo; and it &amp;ldquo;has acquired a reputation for large delays in execution and shoddy performance. There is a possibility that the BSNL will be executing even the present work by subcontracting, in which case, there can be very little reason for assigning the work to the BSNL on nomination basis.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;Asking the DoT to formulate the proposal for appraisal by the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC), the Finance Ministry has rejected its contention that the LWE-affected areas are commercially unviable. &amp;ldquo;Any assumption about the [lack of] revenue generating potential in the LWE areas should be backed with evidence in the form of field trials or sample surveys.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;On the plea that the services should be free of cost if they are utilised by the armed forces or the police, the note says &amp;ldquo;such expenditure should be booked to the accounts of the MHA or the State government rather than being debited to the USOF.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;Meanwhile, a senior Telecom Ministry functionary said the price quoted for installing towers and its maintenance was on the higher side, though he justified the DoT entrusting the task to the BSNL. &amp;ldquo;Higher quoting of prices and that too without any tender process seems to have jeopardised the project as of now. 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The Department of Telecommunication&#039;s plans to go for extensive erection of mobile towers in the Left-Wing extremism-affected areas, to help people and the security forces stay connected, have been opposed by the Finance Ministry, which cited selection of the state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd for the project without following any tender process and its quoting high costs for installation and maintenance.
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
In its draft note to the Cabinet, the Ministry has objected to the DoT proposal seeking Rs.5,809.38-crore subsidy for the BSNL from the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), created for increasing mobile penetration in rural areas, for commissioning and maintaining 2,199 sites (towers) in LWE areas for five years.
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the DoT have been pushing for improving mobile services in six Naxal-affected States covering 80 districts. This exercise, the officials believe, will help in tackling the problem.
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
The Finance Ministry has noted that the subsidy being sought is &amp;ldquo;very large&amp;rdquo; compared to the total subsidy of Rs. 211.84 crore disbursed till 2011-end from the USOF for creation and maintenance of 7,296 towers and 15,407 base transceiver stations (BTS). &amp;ldquo;This huge difference in costs cannot be accepted solely on the basis of estimates provided by the BSNL,&amp;rdquo; it says.
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
&amp;ldquo;Apparently, out of the 2,199 sites located in the LWE-affected areas, the BSNL has already installed 363 mobile sites. How the BSNL was nominated for this work has not been stated. In case, the BSNL is already authorised for this work, then the necessity for Cabinet approval for the work to be entrusted to the BSNL [on a nomination basis] is not clear.&amp;rdquo;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
Also, DoT the proposal has failed &amp;ldquo;to provide adequate justification for assigning the work to the BSNL on nomination basis,&amp;rdquo; says the Finance Ministry note.
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
Criticising the BSNL&#039;s work culture, the note says its &amp;ldquo;capacity appears to be overstretched&amp;rdquo; and it &amp;ldquo;has acquired a reputation for large delays in execution and shoddy performance. There is a possibility that the BSNL will be executing even the present work by subcontracting, in which case, there can be very little reason for assigning the work to the BSNL on nomination basis.&amp;rdquo;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
Asking the DoT to formulate the proposal for appraisal by the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC), the Finance Ministry has rejected its contention that the LWE-affected areas are commercially unviable. &amp;ldquo;Any assumption about the [lack of] revenue generating potential in the LWE areas should be backed with evidence in the form of field trials or sample surveys.&amp;rdquo;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
On the plea that the services should be free of cost if they are utilised by the armed forces or the police, the note says &amp;ldquo;such expenditure should be booked to the accounts of the MHA or the State government rather than being debited to the USOF.&amp;rdquo;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;
Meanwhile, a senior Telecom Ministry functionary said the price quoted for installing towers and its maintenance was on the higher side, though he justified the DoT entrusting the task to the BSNL. &amp;ldquo;Higher quoting of prices and that too without any tender process seems to have jeopardised the project as of now. We will go the government again with the revised project which is crucial to the strategy to fight Naxalism,&amp;rdquo; the official told The Hindu .
&lt;/div&gt;
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&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
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The BSNL was selected as only a government agency could work in a disturbed area and as it would have the support of all government agencies, which was crucial for such an important project, he said.
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&amp;lsquo;BSNL chosen for project without tender process and it has quoted high price&#039;





The Department of Telecommunication&#039;s plans to go for extensive erection of mobile towers in the Left-Wing extremism-affected areas, to help people and the security forces stay connected, have...&#039;
$disp = &#039;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&amp;lsquo;BSNL chosen for project without tender process and it has quoted high price&#039;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;The Department of Telecommunication&#039;s plans to go for extensive erection of mobile towers in the Left-Wing extremism-affected areas, to help people and the security forces stay connected, have been opposed by the Finance Ministry, which cited selection of the state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd for the project without following any tender process and its quoting high costs for installation and maintenance.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;In its draft note to the Cabinet, the Ministry has objected to the DoT proposal seeking Rs.5,809.38-crore subsidy for the BSNL from the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), created for increasing mobile penetration in rural areas, for commissioning and maintaining 2,199 sites (towers) in LWE areas for five years.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the DoT have been pushing for improving mobile services in six Naxal-affected States covering 80 districts. This exercise, the officials believe, will help in tackling the problem.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;The Finance Ministry has noted that the subsidy being sought is &amp;ldquo;very large&amp;rdquo; compared to the total subsidy of Rs. 211.84 crore disbursed till 2011-end from the USOF for creation and maintenance of 7,296 towers and 15,407 base transceiver stations (BTS). &amp;ldquo;This huge difference in costs cannot be accepted solely on the basis of estimates provided by the BSNL,&amp;rdquo; it says.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&amp;ldquo;Apparently, out of the 2,199 sites located in the LWE-affected areas, the BSNL has already installed 363 mobile sites. How the BSNL was nominated for this work has not been stated. In case, the BSNL is already authorised for this work, then the necessity for Cabinet approval for the work to be entrusted to the BSNL [on a nomination basis] is not clear.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;Also, DoT the proposal has failed &amp;ldquo;to provide adequate justification for assigning the work to the BSNL on nomination basis,&amp;rdquo; says the Finance Ministry note.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;Criticising the BSNL&#039;s work culture, the note says its &amp;ldquo;capacity appears to be overstretched&amp;rdquo; and it &amp;ldquo;has acquired a reputation for large delays in execution and shoddy performance. There is a possibility that the BSNL will be executing even the present work by subcontracting, in which case, there can be very little reason for assigning the work to the BSNL on nomination basis.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;Asking the DoT to formulate the proposal for appraisal by the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC), the Finance Ministry has rejected its contention that the LWE-affected areas are commercially unviable. &amp;ldquo;Any assumption about the [lack of] revenue generating potential in the LWE areas should be backed with evidence in the form of field trials or sample surveys.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;On the plea that the services should be free of cost if they are utilised by the armed forces or the police, the note says &amp;ldquo;such expenditure should be booked to the accounts of the MHA or the State government rather than being debited to the USOF.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;Meanwhile, a senior Telecom Ministry functionary said the price quoted for installing towers and its maintenance was on the higher side, though he justified the DoT entrusting the task to the BSNL. &amp;ldquo;Higher quoting of prices and that too without any tender process seems to have jeopardised the project as of now. We will go the government again with the revised project which is crucial to the strategy to fight Naxalism,&amp;rdquo; the official told The Hindu .&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div style=&quot;text-align: justify&quot;&gt;The BSNL was selected as only a government agency could work in a disturbed area and as it would have the support of all government agencies, which was crucial for such an important project, he said.&lt;/div&gt;&#039;
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                <strong>FinMin shoots down DoT&#039;s mobile tower plan in Naxal-hit areas-Sandeep Joshi</strong></h1>
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                <div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify"><em>&lsquo;BSNL chosen for project without tender process and it has quoted high price'</em></div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">The Department of Telecommunication's plans to go for extensive erection of mobile towers in the Left-Wing extremism-affected areas, to help people and the security forces stay connected, have been opposed by the Finance Ministry, which cited selection of the state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd for the project without following any tender process and its quoting high costs for installation and maintenance.</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">In its draft note to the Cabinet, the Ministry has objected to the DoT proposal seeking Rs.5,809.38-crore subsidy for the BSNL from the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), created for increasing mobile penetration in rural areas, for commissioning and maintaining 2,199 sites (towers) in LWE areas for five years.</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the DoT have been pushing for improving mobile services in six Naxal-affected States covering 80 districts. This exercise, the officials believe, will help in tackling the problem.</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">The Finance Ministry has noted that the subsidy being sought is &ldquo;very large&rdquo; compared to the total subsidy of Rs. 211.84 crore disbursed till 2011-end from the USOF for creation and maintenance of 7,296 towers and 15,407 base transceiver stations (BTS). &ldquo;This huge difference in costs cannot be accepted solely on the basis of estimates provided by the BSNL,&rdquo; it says.</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">&ldquo;Apparently, out of the 2,199 sites located in the LWE-affected areas, the BSNL has already installed 363 mobile sites. How the BSNL was nominated for this work has not been stated. In case, the BSNL is already authorised for this work, then the necessity for Cabinet approval for the work to be entrusted to the BSNL [on a nomination basis] is not clear.&rdquo;</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">Also, DoT the proposal has failed &ldquo;to provide adequate justification for assigning the work to the BSNL on nomination basis,&rdquo; says the Finance Ministry note.</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">Criticising the BSNL's work culture, the note says its &ldquo;capacity appears to be overstretched&rdquo; and it &ldquo;has acquired a reputation for large delays in execution and shoddy performance. There is a possibility that the BSNL will be executing even the present work by subcontracting, in which case, there can be very little reason for assigning the work to the BSNL on nomination basis.&rdquo;</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">Asking the DoT to formulate the proposal for appraisal by the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC), the Finance Ministry has rejected its contention that the LWE-affected areas are commercially unviable. &ldquo;Any assumption about the [lack of] revenue generating potential in the LWE areas should be backed with evidence in the form of field trials or sample surveys.&rdquo;</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">On the plea that the services should be free of cost if they are utilised by the armed forces or the police, the note says &ldquo;such expenditure should be booked to the accounts of the MHA or the State government rather than being debited to the USOF.&rdquo;</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">Meanwhile, a senior Telecom Ministry functionary said the price quoted for installing towers and its maintenance was on the higher side, though he justified the DoT entrusting the task to the BSNL. &ldquo;Higher quoting of prices and that too without any tender process seems to have jeopardised the project as of now. We will go the government again with the revised project which is crucial to the strategy to fight Naxalism,&rdquo; the official told The Hindu .</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">The BSNL was selected as only a government agency could work in a disturbed area and as it would have the support of all government agencies, which was crucial for such an important project, he said.</div>               </font>
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		'title' => 'FinMin shoots down DoT's mobile tower plan in Naxal-hit areas-Sandeep Joshi',
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<br />
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<div style="text-align: justify">
<em>&lsquo;BSNL chosen for project without tender process and it has quoted high price'</em>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
The Department of Telecommunication's plans to go for extensive erection of mobile towers in the Left-Wing extremism-affected areas, to help people and the security forces stay connected, have been opposed by the Finance Ministry, which cited selection of the state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd for the project without following any tender process and its quoting high costs for installation and maintenance.
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
In its draft note to the Cabinet, the Ministry has objected to the DoT proposal seeking Rs.5,809.38-crore subsidy for the BSNL from the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), created for increasing mobile penetration in rural areas, for commissioning and maintaining 2,199 sites (towers) in LWE areas for five years.
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the DoT have been pushing for improving mobile services in six Naxal-affected States covering 80 districts. This exercise, the officials believe, will help in tackling the problem.
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
The Finance Ministry has noted that the subsidy being sought is &ldquo;very large&rdquo; compared to the total subsidy of Rs. 211.84 crore disbursed till 2011-end from the USOF for creation and maintenance of 7,296 towers and 15,407 base transceiver stations (BTS). &ldquo;This huge difference in costs cannot be accepted solely on the basis of estimates provided by the BSNL,&rdquo; it says.
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
&ldquo;Apparently, out of the 2,199 sites located in the LWE-affected areas, the BSNL has already installed 363 mobile sites. How the BSNL was nominated for this work has not been stated. In case, the BSNL is already authorised for this work, then the necessity for Cabinet approval for the work to be entrusted to the BSNL [on a nomination basis] is not clear.&rdquo;
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
Also, DoT the proposal has failed &ldquo;to provide adequate justification for assigning the work to the BSNL on nomination basis,&rdquo; says the Finance Ministry note.
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
Criticising the BSNL's work culture, the note says its &ldquo;capacity appears to be overstretched&rdquo; and it &ldquo;has acquired a reputation for large delays in execution and shoddy performance. There is a possibility that the BSNL will be executing even the present work by subcontracting, in which case, there can be very little reason for assigning the work to the BSNL on nomination basis.&rdquo;
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
Asking the DoT to formulate the proposal for appraisal by the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC), the Finance Ministry has rejected its contention that the LWE-affected areas are commercially unviable. &ldquo;Any assumption about the [lack of] revenue generating potential in the LWE areas should be backed with evidence in the form of field trials or sample surveys.&rdquo;
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On the plea that the services should be free of cost if they are utilised by the armed forces or the police, the note says &ldquo;such expenditure should be booked to the accounts of the MHA or the State government rather than being debited to the USOF.&rdquo;
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Meanwhile, a senior Telecom Ministry functionary said the price quoted for installing towers and its maintenance was on the higher side, though he justified the DoT entrusting the task to the BSNL. &ldquo;Higher quoting of prices and that too without any tender process seems to have jeopardised the project as of now. We will go the government again with the revised project which is crucial to the strategy to fight Naxalism,&rdquo; the official told The Hindu .
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&lsquo;BSNL chosen for project without tender process and it has quoted high price'





The Department of Telecommunication's plans to go for extensive erection of mobile towers in the Left-Wing extremism-affected areas, to help people and the security forces stay connected, have...',
	'disp' => '<div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify"><em>&lsquo;BSNL chosen for project without tender process and it has quoted high price'</em></div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">The Department of Telecommunication's plans to go for extensive erection of mobile towers in the Left-Wing extremism-affected areas, to help people and the security forces stay connected, have been opposed by the Finance Ministry, which cited selection of the state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd for the project without following any tender process and its quoting high costs for installation and maintenance.</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">In its draft note to the Cabinet, the Ministry has objected to the DoT proposal seeking Rs.5,809.38-crore subsidy for the BSNL from the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), created for increasing mobile penetration in rural areas, for commissioning and maintaining 2,199 sites (towers) in LWE areas for five years.</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the DoT have been pushing for improving mobile services in six Naxal-affected States covering 80 districts. This exercise, the officials believe, will help in tackling the problem.</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">The Finance Ministry has noted that the subsidy being sought is &ldquo;very large&rdquo; compared to the total subsidy of Rs. 211.84 crore disbursed till 2011-end from the USOF for creation and maintenance of 7,296 towers and 15,407 base transceiver stations (BTS). &ldquo;This huge difference in costs cannot be accepted solely on the basis of estimates provided by the BSNL,&rdquo; it says.</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">&ldquo;Apparently, out of the 2,199 sites located in the LWE-affected areas, the BSNL has already installed 363 mobile sites. How the BSNL was nominated for this work has not been stated. In case, the BSNL is already authorised for this work, then the necessity for Cabinet approval for the work to be entrusted to the BSNL [on a nomination basis] is not clear.&rdquo;</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">Also, DoT the proposal has failed &ldquo;to provide adequate justification for assigning the work to the BSNL on nomination basis,&rdquo; says the Finance Ministry note.</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">Criticising the BSNL's work culture, the note says its &ldquo;capacity appears to be overstretched&rdquo; and it &ldquo;has acquired a reputation for large delays in execution and shoddy performance. There is a possibility that the BSNL will be executing even the present work by subcontracting, in which case, there can be very little reason for assigning the work to the BSNL on nomination basis.&rdquo;</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">Asking the DoT to formulate the proposal for appraisal by the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC), the Finance Ministry has rejected its contention that the LWE-affected areas are commercially unviable. &ldquo;Any assumption about the [lack of] revenue generating potential in the LWE areas should be backed with evidence in the form of field trials or sample surveys.&rdquo;</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">On the plea that the services should be free of cost if they are utilised by the armed forces or the police, the note says &ldquo;such expenditure should be booked to the accounts of the MHA or the State government rather than being debited to the USOF.&rdquo;</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">Meanwhile, a senior Telecom Ministry functionary said the price quoted for installing towers and its maintenance was on the higher side, though he justified the DoT entrusting the task to the BSNL. &ldquo;Higher quoting of prices and that too without any tender process seems to have jeopardised the project as of now. We will go the government again with the revised project which is crucial to the strategy to fight Naxalism,&rdquo; the official told The Hindu .</div><div style="text-align: justify"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify">The BSNL was selected as only a government agency could work in a disturbed area and as it would have the support of all government agencies, which was crucial for such an important project, he said.</div>',
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	'title' => 'FinMin shoots down DoT&#039;s mobile tower plan in Naxal-hit areas-Sandeep Joshi',
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<em>&lsquo;BSNL chosen for project without tender process and it has quoted high price'</em>
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The Department of Telecommunication's plans to go for extensive erection of mobile towers in the Left-Wing extremism-affected areas, to help people and the security forces stay connected, have been opposed by the Finance Ministry, which cited selection of the state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd for the project without following any tender process and its quoting high costs for installation and maintenance.
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
In its draft note to the Cabinet, the Ministry has objected to the DoT proposal seeking Rs.5,809.38-crore subsidy for the BSNL from the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), created for increasing mobile penetration in rural areas, for commissioning and maintaining 2,199 sites (towers) in LWE areas for five years.
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the DoT have been pushing for improving mobile services in six Naxal-affected States covering 80 districts. This exercise, the officials believe, will help in tackling the problem.
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
The Finance Ministry has noted that the subsidy being sought is &ldquo;very large&rdquo; compared to the total subsidy of Rs. 211.84 crore disbursed till 2011-end from the USOF for creation and maintenance of 7,296 towers and 15,407 base transceiver stations (BTS). &ldquo;This huge difference in costs cannot be accepted solely on the basis of estimates provided by the BSNL,&rdquo; it says.
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
&ldquo;Apparently, out of the 2,199 sites located in the LWE-affected areas, the BSNL has already installed 363 mobile sites. How the BSNL was nominated for this work has not been stated. In case, the BSNL is already authorised for this work, then the necessity for Cabinet approval for the work to be entrusted to the BSNL [on a nomination basis] is not clear.&rdquo;
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
Also, DoT the proposal has failed &ldquo;to provide adequate justification for assigning the work to the BSNL on nomination basis,&rdquo; says the Finance Ministry note.
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
Criticising the BSNL's work culture, the note says its &ldquo;capacity appears to be overstretched&rdquo; and it &ldquo;has acquired a reputation for large delays in execution and shoddy performance. There is a possibility that the BSNL will be executing even the present work by subcontracting, in which case, there can be very little reason for assigning the work to the BSNL on nomination basis.&rdquo;
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
Asking the DoT to formulate the proposal for appraisal by the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC), the Finance Ministry has rejected its contention that the LWE-affected areas are commercially unviable. &ldquo;Any assumption about the [lack of] revenue generating potential in the LWE areas should be backed with evidence in the form of field trials or sample surveys.&rdquo;
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
On the plea that the services should be free of cost if they are utilised by the armed forces or the police, the note says &ldquo;such expenditure should be booked to the accounts of the MHA or the State government rather than being debited to the USOF.&rdquo;
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
Meanwhile, a senior Telecom Ministry functionary said the price quoted for installing towers and its maintenance was on the higher side, though he justified the DoT entrusting the task to the BSNL. &ldquo;Higher quoting of prices and that too without any tender process seems to have jeopardised the project as of now. We will go the government again with the revised project which is crucial to the strategy to fight Naxalism,&rdquo; the official told The Hindu .
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify">
The BSNL was selected as only a government agency could work in a disturbed area and as it would have the support of all government agencies, which was crucial for such an important project, he said.
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&lsquo;BSNL chosen for project without tender process and it has quoted high price'





The Department of Telecommunication's plans to go for extensive erection of mobile towers in the Left-Wing extremism-affected areas, to help people and the security forces stay connected, have...'
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FinMin shoots down DoT's mobile tower plan in Naxal-hit areas-Sandeep Joshi

‘BSNL chosen for project without tender process and it has quoted high price' The Department of Telecommunication's plans to go for extensive erection of mobile towers in the Left-Wing extremism-affected areas, to help people and the security forces stay connected, have been opposed by the Finance Ministry, which cited selection of the state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd for the project without following any tender process and its quoting high costs for installation and maintenance. In its draft note to the Cabinet, the Ministry has objected to the DoT proposal seeking Rs.5,809.38-crore subsidy for the BSNL from the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), created for increasing mobile penetration in rural areas, for commissioning and maintaining 2,199 sites (towers) in LWE areas for five years. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the DoT have been pushing for improving mobile services in six Naxal-affected States covering 80 districts. This exercise, the officials believe, will help in tackling the problem. The Finance Ministry has noted that the subsidy being sought is “very large” compared to the total subsidy of Rs. 211.84 crore disbursed till 2011-end from the USOF for creation and maintenance of 7,296 towers and 15,407 base transceiver stations (BTS). “This huge difference in costs cannot be accepted solely on the basis of estimates provided by the BSNL,” it says. “Apparently, out of the 2,199 sites located in the LWE-affected areas, the BSNL has already installed 363 mobile sites. How the BSNL was nominated for this work has not been stated. In case, the BSNL is already authorised for this work, then the necessity for Cabinet approval for the work to be entrusted to the BSNL [on a nomination basis] is not clear.” Also, DoT the proposal has failed “to provide adequate justification for assigning the work to the BSNL on nomination basis,” says the Finance Ministry note. Criticising the BSNL's work culture, the note says its “capacity appears to be overstretched” and it “has acquired a reputation for large delays in execution and shoddy performance. There is a possibility that the BSNL will be executing even the present work by subcontracting, in which case, there can be very little reason for assigning the work to the BSNL on nomination basis.” Asking the DoT to formulate the proposal for appraisal by the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC), the Finance Ministry has rejected its contention that the LWE-affected areas are commercially unviable. “Any assumption about the [lack of] revenue generating potential in the LWE areas should be backed with evidence in the form of field trials or sample surveys.” On the plea that the services should be free of cost if they are utilised by the armed forces or the police, the note says “such expenditure should be booked to the accounts of the MHA or the State government rather than being debited to the USOF.” Meanwhile, a senior Telecom Ministry functionary said the price quoted for installing towers and its maintenance was on the higher side, though he justified the DoT entrusting the task to the BSNL. “Higher quoting of prices and that too without any tender process seems to have jeopardised the project as of now. We will go the government again with the revised project which is crucial to the strategy to fight Naxalism,” the official told The Hindu . The BSNL was selected as only a government agency could work in a disturbed area and as it would have the support of all government agencies, which was crucial for such an important project, he said.