Mahajan has a daunting task ahead

By Sandeep Dikshit

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 6. Despite the claim of Mr. Ram Vilas Paswan of having transformed the Communications Ministry into a ``first rate'' one during his two-year tenure, the new incumbent, Mr. Pramod Mahajan, has a challenging task ahead of him when he returns from his overseas tour.

Left unresolved are a host of contentious issues, including preparing a suitable bailout plan for the telecom giant Bharti Telecom, the doubtful plan of purchasing massive quantities of wireless in local loop (WiLL) equipment to wire villages and an unsatisfactory public grievance machinery of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL). All these are in addition to the daunting task of leading the country into the convergence era after ending intra- corporate rivalry and the tendency of officials to guard their zones of influence.

First and foremost is the long-running saga of Bharti Telecom, one of the four corporates which have set their sights on dominating the telecom sector. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) claims Bharti owes dues more than Rs. 500 crores, whereas the company says it is not liable to pay even a rupee for a disputed 693-day period.

Regardless of the merits of the case, the fact remains that Bharti cannot get new licence till it clears its dues. At stake for the company are eight new cellular and basic licences and one national long distance licence. The Government's interest in bailing out Bharti is palpable. Reluctant DoT officials were thrice pressurised into approaching the Attorney-General for his opinion on the case. The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has also written to the DoT an equal number of times.

The DoT officials feel it is an open and shut case. The company has failed to pay its dues despite promising to do so on more than one occasion. Even the Delhi High Court did not give the company any relief when it challenged the DoT's demand for a ``no dues certificate''.

Policy-makers at higher levels, on the other hand, feel the DoT's demand for Rs. 500 crores (and mounting every day) is absurd. The company, they feel, has a good chance of contributing to the country's tele-density and, therefore, its future should not be held custody to bureaucratic whims. The matter may be taken to the Union Cabinet, but the decision will be taken on the basis of the observations made by the Communications Minister. It is an indication of the ethical issues involved and, probably, due to the pressure from other corporate houses Mr. Paswan was unable to take a decision till he was dislocated from the Ministry. Officials as well as industry observers are watching closely for Mr. Mahajan's response to the whole issue.

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