OFFICIALS TO BE MADE ACCOUNTABLE
FOR DELAY IN ATTENDING PUBLIC COMPLAINTS
NEW
DEDICATED TELEPHONE LINE FOR PRESS COMPLAINTS IN
DELHI
The officials in
the Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) and the Bharat Sanchar
Nigam Limited (BSNL) are to be made accountable for delay in attending
to public complaints and grievances. At a high-level meeting convened
here yesterday to review issues pertaining to public grievances
of subscribers of MTNL and BSNL, the Minister of State for Communications
and Information Technology, Shri Ashok Pradhan stated that since
both these companies have to incur revenue loss due to delay in
attending telephone faults, the mechanism attending to telephone
complaints need to be streamlined and officials made accountable
for this.
Shri Ashok Pradhan
asked the Chairman-Cum-Managing Directors (CMDs) of both the telecom
PSUs to put the working of complaint cells working in their organisations
directly under the charge of a senior official, i.e. either under
the CGM or the DGM. He ordered that compliance reports sent to
his office every month.He also directed that due publicity be
made for the Public Grievance Cells working in the Department
with their Telephone and Fax numbers prominently displayed for
the information of general public. These PG Cells should be made
operative to work 24 hours by putting on Voice-Mail, beyond office
hours.
As regarding very
large number of complaints received from the Media in Delhi, the
Minister directed a separate dedicated line, Telephone No.23372666
to open with immediate effect which shall work in Sanchar Bhavan.
This telephone service shall operate between 9.00.a.m. to 6.00.p.m.
This service will be in addition to the already existing help
line Telephone No.23717500 for the Accredited Correspondents.
Shri Pradhan impressed
upon the senior officials attending the meeting to adopt more
cooperative and consumer friendly steps in handling public grievance
cases. He also drew attention towards reported increase in number
of surrendered telephones. The Minister also cautioned the officials
to be more vigilant towards unfair trade practices.
