NEW DELHI: Former telecom regulator Nripen Mishra
told the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on telecom that he had
made a reference on a market-based mechanism for pricing 2G licences as
increasing teledensity meant that the rates set in 2001 may not be
relevant in 2008 when the airwaves were allotted.
Mishra told the JPC that as licence and spectrum came together, his comment as part of a report suggested that the two would be better treated in an unbundled fashion. This was, however, not a recommendation and the observations did not find much resonance with the government.
The former Trai chairperson is a crucial witness as he was the regulator when 2G licences were allotted during former telecom minister A Raja's tenure. Mishra also said that he had written to the government on more than one occasion in October, 2007 stating his objections. He had felt that there were irregularities in the allocation of licences.
In response to questions from BJP's Ravi Shankar Prasad, Mishra said that he had outlined his objections and had also taken the view that auctions should be the option to allocate all spectrums other than 2G.
The committee will meet on June 12 to discuss the list of witnesses, including whether to call serving ministers or even Raja and some of the officials who served under him and were in jail till recently. The meeting saw DMK's T R Baalu question Mishra over why he did not make a specific recommendation for auctions if he had felt strongly about irregularities in 2G licences.
Mishra responded by saying that Trai is bound to respond to the reference made by the government and could not step outside it. He also pointed out that as licences and spectrum are bundled, there is no question of treating them separately.
Mishra said that he had outlined his objections and had also taken the view that auctions should be the option to allocate all spectrums other than 2G.
Mishra told the JPC that as licence and spectrum came together, his comment as part of a report suggested that the two would be better treated in an unbundled fashion. This was, however, not a recommendation and the observations did not find much resonance with the government.
The former Trai chairperson is a crucial witness as he was the regulator when 2G licences were allotted during former telecom minister A Raja's tenure. Mishra also said that he had written to the government on more than one occasion in October, 2007 stating his objections. He had felt that there were irregularities in the allocation of licences.
In response to questions from BJP's Ravi Shankar Prasad, Mishra said that he had outlined his objections and had also taken the view that auctions should be the option to allocate all spectrums other than 2G.
The committee will meet on June 12 to discuss the list of witnesses, including whether to call serving ministers or even Raja and some of the officials who served under him and were in jail till recently. The meeting saw DMK's T R Baalu question Mishra over why he did not make a specific recommendation for auctions if he had felt strongly about irregularities in 2G licences.
Mishra responded by saying that Trai is bound to respond to the reference made by the government and could not step outside it. He also pointed out that as licences and spectrum are bundled, there is no question of treating them separately.
Mishra said that he had outlined his objections and had also taken the view that auctions should be the option to allocate all spectrums other than 2G.
No comments:
Post a Comment