Twitter
Advertisement

Maran vows bias-free telecom policy regime

Maran’s assurance was in response to the concerns expressed by Ratan Tata over security guidelines contained in the Press Note 5.

Latest News
article-main
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

NEW DELHI: Communications minister Dayanidhi Maran is learnt to have assured Tata Group chairman Ratan Tata that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is working at resolving the thorny issues related to FDI norms in the telecommunications sector. Maran’s assurance was in response to the concerns expressed by Ratan Tata over security guidelines contained in the Press Note 5.

In a recent letter to Ratan Tata, Maran has written that his effort has been to support a “technology-neutral regime which is transparent, equitable and fair to all”, so that nobody feels at a “disadvantageous” position.

According to the minister, no one should face a policy regime “more onerous than one’s competitors”.

He added that DoT was trying to evolve a consensus among stakeholders and come out with a policy that is “free from biases”.

Although the Union Cabinet has extended the deadline till the end of this year for the telecom industry to comply with the 74% FDI guidelines, DoT wants some of the security clauses prescribed by the Press Note 5 relaxed.  In November 2005, the government had issued Press Note 5, which allowed telecommunication operators to increase FDI up to 74% from 49%. But with riders. For instance, a clause in the Press Note 5 prohibited foreigners from heading any telecom company. Plus, there are other security-related conditions like not allowing remote access to any telecom network.

The telecom industry, on the whole, has been opposing the riders accompanying the hike in FDI cap. The Tata Group, in particular, is opposed to the clause which prohibits foreigners from heading any telecom company. Tata Teleservices CEO Darryl Green is not an Indian.

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement