Chidambaram flayed

In its comments on Chidambaram, the report has criticized Chidambaram for suggesting to prime minister Manmohan Singh to “treat the matter as closed”.

The report said “the committee is shocked and dismayed to note that the (then) finance minister, in his note dated February 15, 2008, acknowledged that spectrum is a scarce resource and the price of spectrum should be based on its scarcity value and efficiency of usage but made unique and condescending suggestion that the matter be treated as closed”.

It added: “The committee views it most unfortunate that since the finance minister, the guardian of the public exchequer and entrusted with the principle task of mobilisation of resources for public welfare, instead of initiating stringent and swift action against all those responsible for the whopping loss to the exchequer, pleaded with the Prime Minister to treat the matter as closed," it said.

The panel found the secretary of Department of Economic Affairs deficient and wanting as he failed to bring the matter to the notice of cabinet secretary or even in writing to the finance minister.

Laurels for Pranab
Contrary to this, the report went on to praise then External Affairs Minister and current finance minister Pranab Mukherjee. It noted that Mukherjee, in a note to the PM, had underlined the responsibility of the government to frame, revise and change the policy in a transparent manner and then follow it in letter and spirit.