Govt plans panel to look into CAS issue

Taking note of the problems being faced in the implementation of the Conditional Access System (CAS) in the country, the Centre has decided to set up a committee to look into the factors hindering its smooth rollout.

"We have seen that in some CAS areas the quality is good while in others it is not so good," minister of information and broadcasting P R Dasmunsi said after a State Information Ministers Conference (SIMCON) which concluded yesterday.

CAS was implemented on December 31, 2006, as per the Delhi High Court's directive. It was introduced in some parts of the three metros of Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata and in the entire Chennai metropolitan area as per the Madras High Court's verdict.

Meanwhile, a consumer organisation has slammed CAS, saying "shoddy" implementation has led to its "near failure" in South Delhi where it has been in force.

The survey conducted by Consumer Voice claimed as many as 70 % of the consumers "prefer to go back" to the earlier system than opt for CAS.