No decision as yet on JPC on 2G scam

NEW DELHI - Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal on Friday announced that a decision on the formation of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe the 2G spectrum scam will be taken before February 23.

Bansal, however, responding to several questions said the JPC is set up to look into only one issue.

“31 Bills will come up for discussion and passage including the Women Reservation Bill which provides 33 percent reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. The Bill has already been passed by the Rajya Sabha,” said Bansal, while giving details of the business during the Budget Session.

“Economic Survey and Rail Budget will be presented on February 25 and the General Budget on February 28. The Session will begin on February 21 with the address by the President, Pratibha Devisingh Patil, to the joint sitting of the two Houses,” he added.

Earlier on Thursday, Bansal said: “We have worked out something…but we can”t say anything right now. But we want the Opposition to cooperate with the government and ensure that Parliament functions.”

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday said the Parliament will be allowed to function if the government announces a JPC probe into the several scams on February 22.

The all-party meet called by Mukherjee on February 8 to resolve the deadlock in the Parliament ahead of the ‘Budget Session’ ended inconclusively with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Opposition sticking to their demand for a JPC probe into the 2G scam.

In an endeavor to ensure that the ‘Budget Session’ of Parliament functions smoothly, Mukherjee had called for a meeting of leaders of all political parties, but they put forth the view that the government should agree to the allegations of corruption in allocation of 2G spectrum and that this should be probed by a JPC.

The BJP created a logjam during the Winter Session of Parliament over the demand for setting up of a JPC probe into 2G-spectrum scam.

Former Telecom Minister A. Raja was forced to resign last year after a report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) faulted him for undervaluing spectrum to favour companies who were largely ineligible for 2G spectrum, and added that the government had probably lost Rs.1.76 lakh crore in estimated revenue.

The Budget Session of Parliament will begin on February 21.

The General Budget is to be presented in the Lok Sabha on February 28. (ANI)