DTH MINISTERIAL MEETING NOT HELD LAST WEEK

The group of ministers (GOM) which was expected to meet last week to discuss the modalities of opening up direct to home television (DTH) services in India did not do so. It has instead postponed the meeting to sometime this week.

The BJP-led government was too preoccupied with Indo-Pak diplomacy efforts last week. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee took a bus to Pakistan and hoisted the Indian flag on Pakistan territory, the first time the Indian flag has been hoisted on Pakistani soil in 50 years. Not only was home minister L.K. Advani, who is heading the GOM, too busy but other members of the GOM, defence minister George Fernandes and information & broadcasting minister Pramod Mahajan also had their hands tied with the nitty-gritty of Indo-Pak diplomacy.

Another GOM member, communications minister Jagmohan, has troubles of his own. His defiant stance that defaulting private telecom service providers who haven't paid up their licence fees by 15 February should have their assets seized and their bank guarantees encashed did not meet with favour with the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister further extended the deadline for the telecom firms, which owe the government above Rs 33,000 million in licence fees. The information & broadcasting ministry is believed to be still working on a draft note on DTH to present to the GoM.