New Delhi:
The reconstituted Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) on spectrum pricing will meet for the first time today to decide to matters related to auction of airwaves for telecom services due before August 31.
The meeting is scheduled to take place in the South Block office of Defence Minister AK Antony, who is part of the seven-member committee which is headed by Home Minister P Chidambaram. Sources said the meeting has been scheduled in Mr Antony's office in deference to his seniority.
The committee has been given additional task by the Cabinet of taking a view on the contentious issue of one-time spectrum charge that has to be imposed on telecom companies whose permits were not cancelled by the Supreme Court.
The EGoM on telecom has not met since June 5, after Pranab Mukherjee, who was heading it, resigned as Finance Minister to contest the Presidential elections. Mr Sharad Pawar was named as the new Chairman of the ministerial panel and a meeting fixed for July 2. But he later recused himself from the chairing the group fearing controversies.
The EGoM in its last meeting, on June 5, had finalised broad modalities for auction of spectrum including the schedule and the quantum of airwaves to be sold, but there was no decision on reserve price, terms of payment and annual spectrum usage charges.
The meeting is scheduled to take place in the South Block office of Defence Minister AK Antony, who is part of the seven-member committee which is headed by Home Minister P Chidambaram. Sources said the meeting has been scheduled in Mr Antony's office in deference to his seniority.
The committee has been given additional task by the Cabinet of taking a view on the contentious issue of one-time spectrum charge that has to be imposed on telecom companies whose permits were not cancelled by the Supreme Court.
The EGoM on telecom has not met since June 5, after Pranab Mukherjee, who was heading it, resigned as Finance Minister to contest the Presidential elections. Mr Sharad Pawar was named as the new Chairman of the ministerial panel and a meeting fixed for July 2. But he later recused himself from the chairing the group fearing controversies.
The EGoM in its last meeting, on June 5, had finalised broad modalities for auction of spectrum including the schedule and the quantum of airwaves to be sold, but there was no decision on reserve price, terms of payment and annual spectrum usage charges.
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