NEW DELHI: The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has been asked to give its suggestions on a draft cabinet note prepared by the Telecom Ministry to give greater powers to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to penalise service providers for failing to comply with its directives and rules and regulations.

An I&B Ministry source confirmed to indiantelevision.com that a note had been received, and had in fact also been sent to the Planning Commission for its opinion.

The Telecom Ministry in the note has stressed on the need for increasing TRAI?s jurisdiction to impose penalties through a transparent process for default in compliance with its orders and regulations as well as for non-observance of terms and conditions of license.

TRAI at present does not have power to impose penalties, though it can regulate and monitor rates, quality and other parameters of telecom and broadcasting services to protect consumer interest. The regulator is understood to have conveyed to the Telecom Ministry that in the process of its periodic performance indicator reports of service providers, it has often found telecom operators involved in billing disputes lagged in addressing complaints of subscribers.

Such lapses by service providers therefore can only be sorted out if TRAI chooses to file a complaint before a criminal court for adjudication of liabilities.

A Telecom Ministry official said after replies are received from the I&B Ministry and the Commission, the Department of Telecom will send the draft with the comments to the Law Ministry for placing it before the Cabinet.

The aim is to ensure TRAI can periodically monitor efficient use of spectrum and take action in case airwaves are being used inefficiently by service providers.

NEW DELHI: Television channels are proposed to be brought under the ambit of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act 1986.

The act currently does not cover electronic media. The act as it currently stands prohibits indecent representation of women through advertisements or in publications, writings or paintings and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

Officials in the Women and Child Development Ministry, who did not want to be identified, told indiantelevision.com that the ministry is also proposing to enhance the penal provisions in the act.

The officials clarified that the move to amend the act had nothing to do with the recent incident of gang-rape in New Delhi and the resultant death of the victim.

The officials said the proposed amendments were approved by the Cabinet much earlier for being moved in Parliament as an amendment to the act.