Frequencies doled out on whims and fancies of govt. bigwigs: UNP

The country had been deprived of the opportunity of earning revenue running into millions of rupees due to irregularities that existed in the reservation of frequencies by radio and television broadcasters through the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC), the United National Party (UNP) charged in Parliament last week.

During question time, UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake had alleged that the TRC, as a state institution, could earn a lot of revenue in the reservation of frequencies, but the influence of certain high-ups in the government had denied the country that benefit .In response to the question, the government denied that such a situation had taken place stressing that the government had collected Rs.109 million from the respective broadcasters up to now since 2006.

The TRC comes under the purview of the Presi

dent.