New Delhi: The Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) will give its view on spectrum pricing to the Cabinet which is likely take the final decision on the matter, according to sources.
According to a proposal, the ministerial panel will, however, take a final call on network roll-out, payment terms and other related issues, said a source.
“For spectrum price related matters, it may technically not be called EGoM. On pricing related matters, it may function as GoM (Group of Ministers). The order on this is yet to be finalised,” the source said.
Spectrum issues. Reuters
The source said no change has been proposed in the composition of EGoM, except that a new minister will be appointed to head the panel.
The EGoM was headed by former finance minister Pranab Mukherjee who resigned to contest the presidential election.
Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar was made the head of the high-powered ministerial panel but he recused himself.
No new head of the EGoM has been named as yet.
The terms of reference of the earlier EGoM on spectrum vacation was once changed to look into the spectrum auction issues as well following Supreme Court cancelling 122 telecom licences.
This development comes after the Cabinet had earlier this week referred the proposal to levy a one-time auction-determined fee for all spectrum held by existing telecom companies also to the EGoM.
Sources said the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) had made three proposals to the Cabinet — levy one-time fee on all airwaves held by existing telecom companies, impose a fee on airwaves held beyond the start-up spectrum of 4.4 MHz or levy a fee on airwaves held beyond the contracted spectrum of 6.2 MHz.
The EGoM had last met on 5 June and is running against time to meet the 31 August deadline set by Supreme Court for completion of the auction.
PTI
