Spectrum policy in 15 days

FDI norms by month-end, no major changes expected

The government today said the long-awaited spectrum policy would be released in about 15-days and the FDI guidelines for the sector would be finalised by the month-end.

"The decision on the spectrum policy can be expected in the next 15 days. We had constituted a three-member committee which will give its report soon. We will finalise it by the month-end," DoT secretary J S Sarma told reporters today.

When asked on the delay for finalising the FDI norms, Sarma said there were "certain procedural delays" as the matter required detailed discussions.

However, he added that no major changes were anticipated in the guidelines which were nearing finalisation.

In February, the Union Cabinet cleared the hike in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in telecom to 74 per cent from the existing 49 per cent. "I don't anticipate any major change in the final FDI guidelines vis-a-vis in the Cabinet approval of February," he said.

While refusing to divulge details, Sarma said the government was working towards the implementation of uniform call rates across the country as part of the OneIndia policy. "It is not possible to put a time-frame for the introduction this policy ""we are working towards its implementation at the earliest," he said.

According to him, the government would also announce guidelines on the manufacturing of telecom equipments by vendors in India in the upcoming telecom policy, 2005.

"We have to start manufacturing in India as 53 per cent of telecom revenue (estimated to be $9 billion) of the telecom operators go towards imports, which has to change."