Raja to meet PM, FM to discuss 3G spectrum auction

Telecom Minister A Raja today said he will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister P Chidambaram and discuss issues related to 3G spectrum auction.     

"3G auction is on schedule. That is why I am going to meet the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister today to discuss the related issues," Raja told reporters here at the FICCI-DoT seminar on telecom.     

The minister, however, did not sound enthusiastic about the expected revenue realisations from the 3G spectrum auction in the wake of global financial crisis.     

"Beyond the reserve price of 3G spectrum, I am not an astrologer to know earlier what would be the realisation. Once the auction process is over, only then we will know what has been the revenue," he said.     

In August, Raja had said that the government expects Rs 30,000-40,000 crore from the 3G spectrum auction.     

Telecom Secretary Siddhartha Behura echoed Raja's statement and said DoT's responsibility is to roll out the 3G service in the country. Revenue realisation is not our concern.