NDA regime first deviated on spectrum policy: Sibal (Roundup)

NEW DELHI - Blaming the previous Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government for the current mess over telecom spectrum allotment, Communications Minister Kapil Sibal Friday said deviations in policy had actually started in 2003.

He also wondered why this crucial issue was being sidestepped by the opposition while blaming the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, which took charge in May 2004, for the so-called spectrum scam.

“All decisions on allocation of spectrum, starting from 2003, were incorrect,” Sibal told a press conference here, sharing the report of the single-man panel of former Supreme Court Judge Shivraj V. Patil to examine the spectrum policy since 2001.

In the process, he covertly admitted that the policy adopted by the UPA regime on allocation of spectrum, a precious national resource that helps delivering wireless mobile telecom services, was also not proper.

The minister also said that the improper policy of first-come-first-served basis to allocate the scarce spectrum was also started during the tenure of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.

“Those who are making allegations today are the ones who actually began it. Why wasn’t there inquiry then? Ministers who did not follow cabinet decision were not questioned,” Sibal said.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had suggested in 2003 that additional telecom players could be introduced through multi-stage bidding process and the cabinet accepted it in 2003.

“But on Nov 17, 2003 the then secretary of Department of Telecom (DoT) approved new procedures for award of licenses that were later on approved by the then communications minister,” Sibal said, quoting from Justice Patil’s report.

“The entire report will be shared with investigation agencies to determine culpability of all public servants involved in the grant of licences or spectrum between 2001 t0 2009,” he added.

Sibal’s comments summarising the Patil committee report comes in the backdrop of the arrest two days ago of DMK’s A. Raja who was overseeing the communications ministry till Nov 7 last year when he was forced to quit in the wake of an adverse audit report.

The official audit institution the Comptroller and Auditor General of India had said Raja’s policies on spectrum allocation had resulted in the loss of between $12.8 billion and $40 billion to the exchequer.

The issue dates to 2008 when nine telecom companies were issued airwaves and licences for 2G mobile phone services at Rs.1,658 crore (less that $350 million) for a pan-India operation. As many as 122 circle-wise licences were issued.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had arrested Raja and two of his aides Wednesday on two counts for alleged misuse of office in allocation of spectrum and amassing wealth higher than the known and legal sources of income.

The two aides were former telecom secretary Siddartha Behura and Raja’s personal secretary R.K. Chandolia. Raja, once a powerful minister, was alleged to have misused his office and given away spectrum at below market rates.

Sibal’s comments also came on a day when the prime minister said corruption can dent India’s image, hamper good governance and needed to be tackled boldly and quickly.

“Corruption strikes at the roots of good governance. It is an impediment to faster growth. It dilutes, if not negates, our efforts at social inclusion,” he told an annual conference of chief secretaries here.

“A systemic response needs to be in place to reduce opportunities for corruption”.

–Indo-Asian New Service