National   

Telecom procurement issue resolved, says Shourie

By Sushma Ramachandran

NEW DELHI July 8. The Government today resolved controversies over the procurement of telecom equipment, by cutting down the tender process from 180 days to 120 days, while reducing the bid validity period to 180 days.

The Communications and Information Technology Minister, Arun Shourie, told presspersons here that contentious issues had been sorted out following a series of meetings between Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited and the Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited.

His Ministry had proposed that instead of raising the overall foreign investment limit for the telecom sector beyond 49 per cent, the alternative route of raising foreign institutional investor (FIIs) investment should be considered. This could be outside the sectoral cap and subject to an overall investment limit of 74 per cent.

The alternative option had been proposed owing to objections raised by the security agencies, which according to Mr. Shourie, were not in favour of passing on the management control to foreign promoters. The Department of Telecommunication would shortly submit the proposal to the group of secretaries on FDI.

He said procedures on procurement had now been codified and made "completely transparent". They have been studied to eliminate those, which can be utilised in wrongful ways.

As a result two procurement manuals have been adopted by both the BSNL and MTNL, providing the manner of vendor selection while both organisations will give a calendar of tenders floated every month along with a time period for delivery of equipment.

These have all been codified and the documents are being released, he said.

"All issues relating to tendering would now be decided by TEMA (Telecom Equipment Manufacturers' Association) and the individual players," he said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• NHRC team report on Best Bakery case in a week
• No decision on sending troops: Sinha
• Bring in legislation on Ayodhya or resign: VHP tells PM
• A pen and a perfect Basu
• Geelani trying to split APHC: Sajjad Lone
• Cong. ready for poll alliances
• CWC finalises draft of Shimla resolution
• BJP to participate in RSS meet today
• Sinha stresses on economic diplomacy
• Israeli special envoy meets Advani
• PM to launch pension scheme on July 14
• Our fight not confined to Ram temple: VHP
• A. Srinivasa Iyengar passes away
• Rly. officials told to conduct surprise checks
• EPFO gives defaulters a month's notice
• Infantry officers' meet to focus on surveillance, firepower
• Law students protest `ban on cheating'
• Telecom procurement issue resolved, says Shourie
• SC directive to private medical college in T.N.
• Workers in Management Bill likely in winter session
• Expert group on FM broadcasting planned
• SC takes serious note of sex selection ads
• Review economic policies: NCW

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu