Despite the suggestion of the planning commission that the cabinet or the ministerial panel should have the authority to finalise guidelines for telecom licences, the telecom ministry would continue to be vested with such powers, reports PTI.

A government official told the news agency that the guidelines for new licences will be finalised at Ministry level by the Telecom Minister after recommendations are made by the Telecom Commission.

The Planning Commission is believed to have suggested that decision on licences should be taken by the cabinet while objecting to Telecom ministry being the sole decision maker on the matter.

The Telecom Ministry is of the view that the condition for implementing and executing ULR remains same as it was approved by the Cabinet in 2003 which authorised DoT to finalise details for ULR implementation with its approval.