The officers here feel that the telecom officers should be appointed for the post, since the new department which has been carved out the Department of Telecom would be responsible for all operation and development telecom works in the country.

The ITSA here has stated that though many senior telecom officers have been awarded Padma Shree for their valued services and expertise, their services have not been recognised for appointment in the new department.

They added that this was despite the fact that telecom officials have brought the about the present state of telecom development in the country, with it growing at over 20 per cent per annum in the last two years.

The ITSA has also demanded that the concept of convergence of technology planned to be brought about by the Ministry of Information Technology, should be brought about by the Ministry of Communications itself, for which a separate department of information technology within the ministry should be created.

This would ensure feeding of the personnel at different positions from the basic ITS cadre who are well-conversant with the new technologies, the officers feel. They have also sought representation of the telecom officer at both the apex and field level. Some other engineering associations have also joined the move and have sent in their protest letter to the Prime Minister and the communications minister.