The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) on Monday recommended that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) may devise a policy for allotment and assignment of spectrum for captive users/other commercial usage, in alignment with statements made in National Digital Communication Policy (NDCP)-2018 and end adhocism in allotment of spectrum to government departments/agencies.

DoT may also review the pricing mechanism of spectrum for captive users in order to incentivise ministries/departments/agencies to maintain spectrum management discipline. They may consider differential pricing depending on the features and usage of various spectrum bands, it said in a report.

The Performance Audit Report on ‘Management of Spectrum assigned on the administrative basis to government departments/agencies’ was tabled in the Parliament on April 7 (Rajya Sabha) and on Monday in Lok Sabha. “This report contains significant observations and recommendations emanating out of the performance audit conducted,” it said.

The CAG further observed that post Supreme Court judgement of 2012 in 2G case that spectrum being a valuable natural resource has to be auctioned wherever there is demand, there had been adhoc mechanism for assignment of spectrum to needy users for captive uses and commercial services other than telecom access services.

“This had caused delay and denial in assignment of spectrum, causing uncertainties amongst potential users. Pricing policies for administrative assignment of spectrum had not been reviewed since 2012, depending on the usage and demand for spectrum. DoT had not constituted a permanent committee/ group to advise them on complex issues related to spectrum management including re-farming of spectrum for efficient and optimal utilisation of the scarce resource,” it said.

The CAG advised that the DoT may review the international best practices in spectrum management, for suitable incorporation of these best practices for spectrum management in India and Department of Space (DoS) and DoT need to work together to identify an appropriate technology solution in such a manner that both services can coexist in important frequency bands.

Also, DoS needs to establish a mechanism for assessing and reviewing the utilisation of spectrum in all bands, particularly in international mobile telecommunications (IMT) bands and satellite bandwidth for ensuring optimal and efficient utilisation of assigned spectrum.

The Ministry of Home Affairs may devise policy for spectrum management among Central Armed Police Forces and DoT may ensure that PSUs like ONGC and Gail use the assigned spectrum optimally and efficiently and surrender unutilised frequencies, it added.

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