The government is planning to constitute a Group of Ministers (GoM) to examine the issue of charging operators with a one-time licence fee, say news reports.
This is since the government was unable to resolve the issue in its last meeting. At the time, the option of approaching the existing Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) established for the upcoming 2G auctions was considered, but rejected. This was because the EGoM?s scope of jurisdiction is restricted to deciding the reserve price and the quantum of spectrum to be awarded in the upcoming spectrum auction.
The new GoM is expected to be either headed by Salman Khurshid, Union Minister of Law and Justice or Anand Sharma, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry.
If constituted, the GoM will be able to make recommendations only. Thereafter, the recommendations will be sent to the Prime Minister for his approval.
