With the JPC beginning to examine the alleged lapses in telecom sector during the NDA rule, members of the BJP-led coalition today sought to put focus on the 2G scam which took place in the UPA rule.

On the second day of the JPC meeting, NDA members wanted to know why the alleged irregularities in 2G spectrum allocation in 2008 involving the then Telecom Minister A Raja were not properly reflected in the presentations made by Telecom Secretary R Chandrashekhar

Chandrashekhar, who briefed the 30-member Committee headed by P C Chacko on the allocation and pricing of telecom licences and spectrum during 1998-2009 yesterday, continued his presentation today.

The Committee has started examining the telecom policy pursued during the NDA rule and sought to know the quantum of losses incurred during that period.

The NDA members expressed surprise and concern that the CAG findings on the 2G issue, which is believed to have caused a presumptive loss of Rs 1.76 lakh crore to the exchequer, was not adequately reflected in the presentation by Chandrashekhar and other officials.

Taking note of the objections, Chacko ruled that the Executive Summary of the CAG report on 2G spectrum allocation would be part of today's proceedings.

BJP leader Yashwant Sinha, who was heading a Group of Ministers on Telecom issues during NDA rule and a member of the JPC, volunteered to depose as witness before the Committee on matters related to the migration package offered to telecom operators to shift from the fixed license regime to the revenue sharing model.

As DoT officials briefed the JPC on the decisions of the NDA government and recommendations of the 10th Five Year Plan, BJP leader Jaswant Singh, who was the then Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, offered explanation on the issue.

The 10th Plan had suggested that the main target of the government should be increasing tele-density and revenue generation should not be acriteria while taking decisions related to the sector.

Asked whether former telecom ministers could be called to appear as witness, Chacko said ministers and secretaries of the telecom ministry could also form part of the list of witnesses which is yet to be finalised.

The JPC has also asked the government to submit details of all the decisions regarding implementation of the Unified Access Service Licenses (UASL).

"We have asked the Department to submit all the details, including Cabinet decisions, files, communications and documents related to UASL implementation," Chacko said.

The Committee has also called for details on the 2G and 3G spectrum released by the Ministry of Defence recently.

Chacko said the JPC has received 90 per cent of the documents it had sought from the government and hoped that the rest would be made available soon.

He said the JPC has been sending reminders to the government on the documents that were pending.

"These documents are necessary for the members as evidence before we start calling witnesses," he said.

The next meeting is scheduled to be held on May 30 when Comptroller and Auditor General Vinod Rai would appear before the JPC to make presentation on various reports, including the one on 2G spectrum allocation.

"Today the talk is of a Rs 1.76 lakh scam. We want to know from the horse's mouth how he had arrived at the figure," Chacko said.

At its meeting on June 7, the JPC has decided to call CBI Director A P Singh to brief on the 2G case while Finance Secretary, chief of Enforcement Directorate, and Telecom Regulatory Authority Chairman J S Sarma will make presentations on the issue.

Sarma had begun his presentation on the functioning of TRAI and its role in the telecom sector. The presentation was inconclusive and would continue on June 8.

The JPC will begin examining witnesses from June 29.

After June 29, the JPC is expected to meet on two days every week in its bid to complete the report before the end of the monsoon session.