DoT will respond to CAG queries soon: Raja

On the clarification sought by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) over licences issued to service providers in 2008, which had allegedly cost the exchequer Rs 26,000 crore, Communications Minister A Raja today said a response would soon be sent.

“CAG has sent some queries according to their own perceptions and inferences and it will be duly responded to by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT),” Raja told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.

He was responding to a query on reports that CAG had blamed his ministry for policy lapse in distribution of telecom licences which had caused a massive loss to the government.

“We are preparing a due reply to be sent to CAG... thereafter, observations can be made,” Raja said, adding the reply would be sent by tomorrow.

He, however, said this was not an annual CAG report.

Raja has been facing the charge of distributing at 2001 prices, of Rs 1,658 crore for pan-Indian operations, the new licences bundled with start-up spectrum of 4.4 MHz. Even the Central Bureau of Investigation has filed a case against unknown DoT officials for conniving with private companies for manipulation of licence terms and conditions.