The priority, he told mediapersons, was strengthening the telecom network in the tribal and far-flung areas.

The Union Minister said the complete waiting list for telephones and Internet connections in Chandigarh would be cleared by March-end, and telephones would be available on demand thereafter. He added that once this was done, tele-shops would be opened in Chandigarh, making phone connections readily available as in foreign countries. Such shops have opened in Indore on an experimental basis.

Jagmohan said the government was also thinking of accepting payment of telephone bills through cheques but instances of bounced cheques would be reported to the police and the telephones disconnected.

To increase efficiency, the provision of providing pagers to linemen was being worked out in a phased manner, he said, adding that the government was also thinking of raising the basic qualification for recruitment of linemen.

To facilitate developmental work throughout the year, unlike during the last four months of the year as in the past, he said technical and financial powers have been given to Telecom CGMs for further delegation to GMs.

Jagmohan, who was here to assess the ground realities in the region to help improve department functioning, met representatives of various associations and political parties, besides industrialists and officials and heard their grievances and suggestions.

The minister, who was accompanied by the Member Services, Telecom Commission, P.S. Saran, and C-Dot executive director K.N. Gupta, besides the Telecom GMs of Punjab, HP and Chandigarh, earlier visited Parwanoo and Panchkula. He also visited post offices and telephone exchanges in Chandigarh. Jagmohan also said that the department was working out modalities for reduction of rentals on telephones in villages.