(a) whether the Union Government have decided to restore the licences of some private telephone operators against whom dues are still outstanding;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor; and
(c) the criteria adopted by the Government for restoration of licences of private telephone operators?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS
(SHRI TAPAN SIKDAR)
(a) to (c) : Sir, 6 licences for Cellular Mobile Telephone Service (3 licences of M/s. Koshika Telecom for Bihar, Orissa and UP-West Circles, 2 licences of M/s. Aircell Digilink for Haryana and Rajasthan Circles and 1 licence of M/s. JT Mobiles for Punjab Circle) were terminated prior to offer of the migration package. Opinion of the Attorney General for India (AG) in the matter of treatment of these terminated cellular licences, in the context of migration package was obtained. The AG recommended restoration of the terminated licences and offering of migration package on certain conditions contained in his opinions.
The Government accepted the advice of AG and a package for restoration of 2 terminated licences for Haryana and Rajasthan Circles and simultaneous migration to New Telecom Policy-1999 (NTP-99) regime was offered to M/s. Aircell Digilink under letter dated 6.4.2000. The company had accepted the package unconditionally and made part payments in accordance with the migration package, hence, these two licences were restored provisionally on 26.4.2000. Similar package was also offered to M/s. Koshika Telecom for three terminated cellular licences of Bihar, Orissa and UP-West Circle under letter dated 17.4.2000. M/s. Koshika furnished unconditional acceptance in this regard on 25.4.2000. Offer of package for restoration and simultaneous migration to NTP-99 regime in respect of Punjab Circle licence of M/s. JT Mobiles is under process.
The decision of the Government for restoration of these terminated licences and offer of migration package to NTP-99 regime was based on legal opinion tendered by AG.