New Delhi, Mar 26: The Sixth Pay Commission has recommended scrapping of the Telecom Commission as its role has been reduced to mere policy making and coordinating agency, following setting up of BSNL as a separate public sector undertaking. "No need exists for retaining a separate Telecom Commission in this (Telecommunication) department. The government should review the necessity of persisting with this Commission," stated the report submitted by Pay panel chairman B N Srikrishna to the government on March 24.

Following hiving off of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) as a PSU, the report said, the department has ceased to be a service provider and is presently functioning as a conventional department. It further said that Indian Telecom Service (Group A), which provides telecom services, should be discontinued because its functions have been corporatised.

"The Government should discontinue this service. All the existing officers of this services should either be absorbed in BSNL and MTNL or else sent to the surplus pool," the Pay panel said. It also suggested the government should review the need to continue the office of Salt Commissioner and Directorate General Of Supplies and Disposals. The office of the Salt Commissioner has earned Rs 3.5 crore by way of cess as against the total expenditure of Rs 10 crore. Also, as the issues pertaining to iodised salt and technical and institutional aspects are being handled by other ministries, the office of the Salt Commissioner could be closed, the report stated.