2G auction base price fixed at Rs 14,000 crore

August 4, 2012

2g

Mumbai, August 4: The government on Friday fixed Rs 14,000 crore as minimum price or base price for the much-awaited auctioning of the 2G spectrum.

“The Cabinet approved the reserve price of Rs 14,000 crore for 5 MHz pan India in 1800 MHz band. The Cabinet also approved the recommendation of Empowered Group of Ministers for reserve price for 800 MHz band at 1.3 times that of 1800 MHz band. This translates into Rs 18,200 crore for pan-India spectrum, “ Union Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal told reporters after the Cabinet meeting.

GSM-based mobile carriers operate in 1800 MHz band airwaves while CDMA-based operators use 800 MHz band. Reacting to the decision, old telecom players said high price would hit the industry hard and said the tariff would go up by Rs 30 paise per minute.

Defending the decision, Sibal said the Cabinet arrived at the decision after considering all aspects including maximum revenue to the government and also protection of the industry.

Now the Department of Telecom will appoint the auctioneer who will start the auction with minimum base price fixed by the government.

The price approved was 22 per cent lower than Rs 18,000 crore, the minimum rate suggested by sector regulator, Trai. It was, however, seven times higher than the price new companies had paid in 2008 to get spectrum when A Raja was telecom minister.

The Cabinet also approved annual fee on spectrum, called spectrum usage charges, at the existing rate which varies between 3 to 8 per cent of revenues earned by companies.

Asked if the government would be able to meet the August 31 deadline mandated by the apex court for auctioning of the spectrum freed from its order cancelling licences of 122 operators, Sibal said the EGoM is likely to meet on Monday.

"Existing slab rate system for Spectrum Usage Charges (SUC), as recommended by EGoM, as the preferred option has also been approved by the Cabinet," he added.

It may be noted that Empowered Group of Ministers had earlier recommended a reserve price at Rs 14,000-15,000 crore for 5 Mhz of airwaves as against around Rs 18,000 crore recommended by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). Though the industry experts expect that with Rs 14,000 crore for pan India licence, the government may rake up over Rs 2.5 lakh crore after completing the auction, Sibal refuse to speculate any thing in this regard.

The apex court while cancelling 122 licences allotted by former telecom minister A Raja, had asked the government to re-auction the spectrum before August 31.

The reserve price may not cheer industry who have been demanding 80 per cent cut in the minimum price suggested by the TRAI. The industry lobby felt that fixing maximum reserve price would trigger increase in mobile tariff while the TRAI dismissed the fear.


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News Network
May 29,2020

New Delhi, May 29: In a powerful display of inter community solidarity, a team of Sikh volunteers visited Delhi's Jama Masjid and sanitized the 17th century monument.

As the national capital battled coronavirus, the historic Jama Masjid is closed for congregational prayers. However, the team of Sikh volunteers effectively sanitized the monument to ensure it is safe for the caretakers and visitors.

The volunteers affiliated with United Sikhs organization also met Naib Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid Syed Shaban Bukhari during the visit. The latter thanked the team for the humanitarian gesture and underlined the need for all sections of humanity to unite in the face of this crisis.

"The Sikh community has always displayed exemplary commitment to humanity and we are thankful to the United Sikhs' team for their initiative. This enormous crisis facing the human race can be fought off only if all communities, nations and people unite and fight it together. In recent weeks we have seen heart wrenching images of misery in the country as thousands of migrant workers return to their villages. At the same time we have also seen positive stories of different people uniting to help and feed them. We hope that together we will overcome this crisis," said Syed Shaban Bukhari, Naib Shahi Imam, Jama Masjid, Delhi.

Shaban Bukhari has also advised Muslims across the country to strictly avoid congregational prayers this Eid and pray at homes. He is young leader, who really believes in secularism. For him, humanity and kindness come first.

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Agencies
May 1,2020

New Delhi, May 1: The Centre has finalsed the criteria for delimitation of various zones after May 3. It has identified at least 130 districts as red zones, 284 orange zones and 319 green zones.

According to a letter written by Health Secretary Preeti Sudan to the Chief Secretaries of all States and UTs, all the states have to delineate the containment areas and buffer zones in the identified red and orange zone districts and notify the same.

The letter said, the national capital has at least 11 red zones, Uttar Pradesh 19 red zones, 36 orange zones and 20 green zones while, the state of Haryana has 2 red zones, 18 orange zones and 2 green zones.

The Gautam Buddha Nagar in Uttar Pradesh has been identified as a red zone district while, Ghaziabad has been designated as an orange zone. The national capital has no orange and green zone; there are only red zones according to the letter.

In Maharashtra, Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Nashik come in the red zone.

In West Bengal, Kolkata, Howrah, 24 Parganas -- both North and South have been identified as red zones while Hooghly, Nadia, Murshidabad etc have been marked as orange zones.

In the southern part of India, Kerala has 2 red zones and 10 orange zones, while Tamil Nadu has 12 red zones and 24 orange zones.

The Health Secretary said that the list will be revised on a weekly basis or earlier and communicated to states for further follow-up action in consonance with the directions issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 based on field feedback and additional analysis at state level, states may designate additional red or orange zones as appropriate.

However, states may not relax the zonal classification of districts classified as red or orange as communicated by the Ministry. This classification is multi-factorial and takes into consideration incidence of cases, doubling rate, extent of testing and surveillance feedback to classify the districts.

A district will be considered under green zone, if there are no confirmed cases so far or there is no reported case since the last 21 days in the district.

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News Network
February 1,2020

Feb 1: The Congress on Saturday expressed hope that the Union Budget would provide relief to the salaried class through tax cuts and invest in rural India besides providing a healing touch to the common man and industry facing “hardship” since demonetisation.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the last budget led to crashing consumption levels, soaring unemployment and falling GDP. “Budget 2019= Consumption crashed, Unemployment soared, Farm distress surged, Incomes declined, Investments slumped, Public spending fell, GDP nose dived!,” Surjewala tweeted. “Yet, Modiji gave Corporate Tax Cuts of Rs 1,45,000 crore. Let Budget 2020 give tax cuts to Salaried Class and invest in Rural India,” he said

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot hoped the budget fulfils expectations of the common people. “Budget 2020 is the time for NDA government to provide a healing touch to common people and industries facing hardships since noteban. Hope the budget fulfils expectations of common people and provide relief across sections,” Gehlot said.

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