Thaindian News

New Delhi, Oct 15 (IANS) A group of ministers (GoM) headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has accepted most of the recommendations of a committee set up to suggest ways of preventing corruption and increasing transparency while allocating natural resources.

The GoM was set up to prevent corruption in various spheres of government functioning.

“The GoM has in its recent meeting recommended acceptance of a number of recommendations made by the expert committee on allocation of natural resources), headed by former finance secretary Ashok Chawla,” the ministry of personnel, public grievances and pensions said Saturday.

The committee, which was constituted by the government on recommendations of the GoM in January this year, was asked to recommend measures to enhance transparency, efficiency and sustainability in utilisation of natural resources.

The committee submitted its report on May 31 on sectors such as coal, minerals, petroleum, natural gas, spectrum, forests, water and land.

The recommendations that have been accepted by the GoM include:

– Standardising and recording minutes of meetings particularly those in which allocation decisions are made

– Expedite creation of a national data repository for petroleum exploration

– All future telecom licenses should be unified licenses and spectrum de-linked from the license

– Build capacity of state forest departments to improve accessibility of information and reduce time taken for environmental clearances

– Enact comprehensive national legislation on water related issues

– Inventorise land available with central government ministries and departments and sale of such land should take place through competitive and transparent e-auctions.