Several letters exchanged between the PMO and Dayanidhi Maran during his tenure as telecom minister. Union Textiles Minister Maran resigned in connection with the 2G scam case on Thursday.
On January 11, 2006, Maran wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh starting that one major bottleneck in sustainable growth of telecom sector is the availability and non-allocation of spectrum. The GoM should therefore focus its attention on vacation of spectrum by defence and other agencies.
Exactly a day after Maran letter, Maxis which had now bought Aircel, put in four additional applications for some of the most lucrative circles in India and Karnataka & Maharashtra & Mumbai and Rajasthan.
On February 1, 2006 Maran met the prime minister and discussed the need for a GoM and what the terms of reference for the GoM should be.
On February 23, 2006 the prime minister actually approved the constitution of a group of ministers on vacation of spectrum and raising resources for the purpose.
Those notification had six terms of reference but one specifically linked to spectrum pricing which states suggest a spectrum pricing policy and examine the possibility of creation of a spectrum reallocation fund. The notification was issued with the approval of the prime minister.
Maran wrote a letter to the prime minister within five days stating that You had kindly assured me the terms of reference of the GoM would be drawn up exactly the way we wanted which was to focus only on the issue of vacation of spectrum.
Maran letter states I will be grateful if you could kindly instruct the concerned to modify the terms of reference as suggested by us which are enclosed.
On December 7, 2006, the prime minister approved the removal of spectrum pricing from the terms of reference.
Raja ignored Manmohan's advice but did the prime minister allow himself to be bullied by Maran? That question now haunts the UPA.
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