'Minority' NDA took major policy decisions in 1999: JPC

The caretaker NDA government took major policy decisions in 1999 including implementation of the migration package for telecom operators despite the then cabinet secretary asking departments not to do so, JPC chairman PC Chacko said on Tuesday.

Anil Kumar, the telecom secretary between August, 1998 and February, 2000, appeared before the JPC for the third time on Tuesday and said the decisions were taken after "due deliberations."

When the committee members drew his attention to a letter written by then President KR Narayanan to then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in which the former said he was "not persuaded" that New Telecom Policy-1999 and the Migration package qualified to be "absolutely necessary" as it had significant financial implications, Kumar said the communication was not brought to his notice.

Chacko told reporters the then Cabinet Secretary had written to all secretaries they should not take major policy decisions or implement decision with significant financial implications as the government was caretaker.

But Kumar justified the decisions and said it was taken after "due deliberations."

"There were wide consultations, including financial institutions, service providers and stakeholder before a decision was taken for the implementation of the migration package," Chacko quoted Kumar as saying.

Kumar said without addressing the problems being faced by the existing service providers, NTP-99 would not have been successful and the telecom sector would not have come out of the "web of litigation."

He said the NTP-99 helped in the growth of subscriber base and increased tele-density.