Haryana winds up State Telephone Board

Chandigarh, Feb 25 (UNI) The Haryana Government has decided to wind up the State Telephone Board and its functions have been classified in three categories for their effective implementation at different levels.

While stating this here today, an official spokesman said, ''The decision to wind up the telephone board has been taken in view of the means of communication becoming more diversified with many service providers. Earlier, the Board was constituted through a notification dated April 26, 1973, at such a time when it used to be difficult to get telephone connections.'' He said that while classifying the functions of the erstwhile Telephone Board, the first category would be of cases to be decided at the level of administrative departments. The second category would have the cases to be decided at the level of administrative departments with the approval of finance department and in the third category, the cases to be decided by the department concerned with the approval of office of chief secretary have been included.

He said that the cases to be dealt with at the level of administrative departments would include installation of main telephone connection, extension to the existing telephones and those of a main telephone with extension for the officers as well as residences of the officers of non-entitled category.

The other such cases included those of shifting of telephones installed in the office for use of an officer at the residences of the same officer and vice-versa, the installation of STD barring device with telephones provided to the officers in their offices and residence either on request made by an officer himself or as a policy or otherwise by the government.

He said that the cases to be decided at the level of administrative department with the approval of finance department would include installation of an internal communication system and exemption of the recovery on account of excess local calls made by the officers from their residential telephones.

The cases to be decided by the department concerned with the approval of Chief Secretary's office would include the retention of telephone installed at the residences of officers after their retirement or during earned leave, refused leave and training period out of headquarters or out of India.

The cases of approval of any addition or alteration in the existing list of the entitled categories of offices and officers provided with telephones in their offices and at their residences would also fall in this category.

Apart from this, the cases of fixing the ceiling of local calls for the telephones installed at the residence of the officers would also fall in this category. Any other item not covered above would also be decided by the department concerned with the approval of Chief Secretary's office.

He said that the proposal for providing mobile phones would be referred to the Chief Secretary's Office.

UNI PS BJR DS1545