Restructuring of BSNL: DoT to form spl committee

NEW DELHI, INDIA: The Full Telecom Commission Meeting called today by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has decided to set up a special committee to consider the recommendations of the Pitroda Committee with regards to the restructuring of BSNL, said a source with the knowledge of the developments.

According to the source, the committee would include the members of the DoT and it would also seek comments form the Finance Ministry and the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion.

Earlier there were reports that Telecom Minister A.Raja seemed to be defying Prime Minister Manmohan Singh by keeping silent on the suggestions made by the special committee set up by him in choosing the successor for BSNL chairman and managing director Kuldeep Goyal, who is retiring soon.

Denying this report, DoT said it has called the Full Telecom Commission Meeting today. Reportedly many questions were raised in the meeting. The special committee to be set up by DoT would ask BSNL to submit its suggestions on the Sam Pitroda committee report, as well as a report on the action taken on the the recommendations by Boston Consulting Group.

Meanwhile, DoT also made it clear that, as per the existing rules BSNL cannot recruit a person from outside as its CMD. Earlier there were speculations that former CEO of Vodafone, Arun Sarin would be asked to head BSNL.