Monday, April 27, 2009

India: following a failure of ministers to agree, the incoming government will decide on 3G spectrum auction process

[Business Standard] The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has identified auctioning of 3G spectrum, stuck due to differences in the government, and finalisation of an agreement with the defence ministry for vacation of spectrum as issues which will need immediate action by the next government.

The 3G auction process has already been delayed thrice from its initial schedule (which was to end in February) due to inter-ministry disagreement on issues like the reserve price and the quantum to be auctioned. The matter was referred to the cabinet committee on economic affairs (CCEA), which put the decision in the hand of a Group of Ministers (GoM) in January.

A few days later, the clamps on decision making in the election code of conduct came into force. The GoM has not met on the issue.

3G auction left to next govt

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