The issue of spectrum allocation to the department of telecommunication (DoT) for mobile telephony would soon be resolved amicably after security concerns were addressed, defence minister AK Antony announced on Wednesday.
Talking to mediapersons on the sidelines of a conference of Coast Guard Commanders here, Antony said, ?We have to address security concerns and then meet the requirements of the telecom sector. We would find an amicable solution at the earliest.? ?We are one government. Some security concerns are there. And we are trying to find a solution but before that we have to address all the concerns,? he said.
The government has constituted a group of ministers (GoM) headed by external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee to look into spectrum allocation and during its recent meeting, it decided to form a technical assessment committee to identify areas where frequency can be vacated by the defence ministry. According to the DoT, as much as 60 MHz of spectrum under control of the defence ministry is not being utilised. DoT has asked for 42.5 MHz for the use of mobile phone service operators.
However, the defence ministry had claimed that it wanted the spectrum to allow for growth plans of its forces.
Sources in the ministry said the three services?Army, Navy and Air Force?have demanded a secure network before releasing spectrum for civilian use.
Meanwhile, on the issue of a proposed move to create 156 more posts for General-rank officers in the armed forces, Antony, admitting to differences within the defence establishment with the Navy and IAF protesting against the proposed move, assured that the government will implement the second part of the Ajai Vikram Singh (AVS) committee report on the issue at the earliest. The minister said, ?We are taking steps to implement the recommendations which have been unduly delayed.? Even as the implementation of Phase-II of the AVS committee report is waited, the minister?s comment assumes significance in the wake of a reported spat between Army Chief General JJ Singh, naval and IAF chiefs Admiral Sureesh Mehta and Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major over the share of 156 new posts of major general and above that are being created under the new policy.