During the first six months of the current year 1998-99, the DoT has set up only 9.14 lakh new connections called Direct Exchange Lines (DELs) between April and September this year, against a target of 36 lakh connections, an achievement of around 25 per cent. The DoT's half yearly achievements are likely to come up for review in the Telecom Commission meeting likely to be held tomorrow.

Studies were conducted on VRS models obtained from the World Bank, theAsian Development Bank and those obtained from other developed countries, after officials in the DoT made several trips to these places. The DoT also sifted through tenders where there were problems owing to malpractices by equipment suppliers. The DoT also initiated blacklisting procedures against some of these companies but after two years, ultimately let most of these companies off the hook. This resulted in upsetting the DoT's schedules on account of its own laxity in some cases and on account of delays caused by equipment suppliers in others.