There appears to be some reservation from the department of telecom (DoT) to regulator Trai's proposal for constituting a group of ministers to draw and oversee plans to allocate spectrum to telecom operators.Senior DoT officials said only the government has the authority to decide on the need and timing of setting up such a high-powered body.With the department questioning the need to have a GOM, it may not agree with the Trai proposal of setting up a group of ministers for the purpose of drawing up and overseeing implementation plan to achieve the guaranteed spectrum availability by 2006, sources said."Trai has overstepped its mandate of giving recommendations on spectrum. There has to be enough reason for constituting a GOM and the decision can only be taken by the government (DoT or cabinet depending on the sensitive nature of the issue)."The current spectrum allocation issue may be complex but the DoT and its spectrum advisor wireless planning advisor have been taking care of the entire scenario. It was at a later stage that Trai was brought in to give only its views on the entire matter. In that context it has overstepped itsmandate," DoT said.Trai could have suggested that a high-powered body could be set up to look into the issues and left it to the dot to explore whether a gom is needed or not, they added.
