Denying media reports that ban on pre-paid mobile service in Jammu and Kashmir has been revoked, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Thursday asked mobile operators to come out with a fool-proof plan for verification of subscribers in the State if they want the service to be resumed there.
Asserting that the ban cannot be removed until he was satisfied with alternate arrangements regarding the verification process by telecom operators, Mr. Chidambaram said: “We are holding discussions with the service providers… if they [service providers] come up with a fool-proof plan of 100 per cent verification [of subscribers] and I am satisfied with the plan, then we will revisit the issue.”
Mobile operators and the State government have been appealing to the Centre to allow resumption of pre-paid service in the State. The service was stopped about two months ago in wake of security concerns by security agencies. The State government has urged the Centre to formulate a policy soon for the telecom operators for restarting pre-paid mobile services . It has proposed stringent action against operators not complying with verification process.
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