New Delhi, Sept 13: A ministerial panel set up on the telecoms sector will smooth decision making on disputed issues to speed up growth in the booming industry, Telecommunications Minister Arun Shourie said on Friday. The six-member panel, constituted on Thursday, will be headed by Finance Minister Jaswant Singh and comprise ministers of telecoms, defence, commerce and industry, foreign affairs and information and broadcasting.

"The first meeting will be on September 25 by which time we would have brought out position papers and key recommendations on several issues," Shourie said on the sidelines of an industry seminar.
The panel will discuss a proposed hike in the limit on foreign direct investment in telecoms services providers to 74 per cent from 49 per cent and release of more spectrum to spur growth.

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It will also suggest a road map for a universal licence regime, being opposed by the $5.0 billion private cellular sector.

"We hope that within November we'll finish the report," he said, adding the panel's recommendations would be sent to the federal cabinet. Bureau Report