(a) the total amount of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) proposals approved for the telecom sector during 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 till date;
(b) the number of proposals related to domestic private investment approved during the above period;
(c) the extent to which these proposals have been implemented; and
(d) the impact of the FDI proposals on the telecom industry?
THE MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND DISINVESTMENT (ARUN SHOURIE)
(a) to (d) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT TO BE LAID ON THE TABLE OF THE LOK SABHA IN RESPECT OF PARTS (a) TO (d) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 126 FOR 10TH DECEMBER, 2003 REGARDING FDI IN TELECOM SECTOR.
(a) The total amount of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) approved for the telecom sector during the year 2002-03 was Rs. 1,065.2 crores; during 2003-04 upto August, 2003 this is Rs. 844 crores.
(b) & (c): Proposals related to domestic private investment do not require government approval.
(d) Foreign investment has supplemented domestically available financial resources and technical expertise for faster growth of the telecom sector in the country.