Question : ADDITIONAL INTER- CONNECTION CHARGES ON e- SEVA

(a) whether Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited has raised a demand for payment of additional inter-connection charges in addition to lease line cost on e-Seva, which is a public utility service of the Government of Andhra Pradesh;

(b) if so, the reasons therefor;

(c) whether the Union Government has received any request from the Government of Andhra Pradesh for waiving interconnectivity charges for e-governance applications for e-Seva and other Government projects;

(d) if so, the details thereof; and

(e) the action taken by the Government on the request?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (DR. SHAKEEL AHMAD)

(a) Sir, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has raised bills to tune of Rs. 13 crores for Inter-connectivity charges for e-Seva Network.

(b) BSNL has raised the bills since e-Seva is not a pure Government project but based on Public Private Partnership (PPP) model. Therefore inter-eonnection charges between networks of Govt. of Andhara pradesh and Private Sector corporate cannot be waived off.

(c) & (e) A communication has been received by the Government from Chief Minister of Andhara pradesh requesting for waiver of interconnectivity charges for e-Governance applications in general and for e-Seva project in particular. The request has been examined by the Government and the same could not be agreed to.