MHA security clearance to only one FDI proposal in 2014

A total of 13 FDI proposals for granting security clearance out of 14 are pending with the Home Ministry this year due to "want of comments" from central agencies and other departments following which the related departments have expressed concern over the "delay".

Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju told the Lok Sabha that the Ministry has received altogether 14 Foreign Direct Investment proposals in 2014 for granting security clearance in strategic sectors like aviation and telecom out of which only one has been cleared so far.

Rijiju said in 2013, a total of 42 FDI proposals were received by the Home Ministry for security clearance and 27 of them had been cleared while in 2012, 36 FDI proposals were received for security clearance and 33 of these were granted clearance.

The Minister dismissed the suggestion that there were "inordinate delay" by the Home Ministry in granting security clearance to FDI proposals.

"However, concerns have been expressed by sectoral ministries/ departments relating to delay in security vetting of FDI proposals including those in strategic sectors like aviation and telecom," he said in a written reply.

Rijiju said proposals from sectoral ministries/ departments, complete in all respects, as and when received are immediately sent to central agencies for obtaining inputs.

 Obtaining the comments and inputs from the concerned agencies is a time consuming process as it entails collection of information from field formations.

"Ministry of Home Affairs earnestly evaluates the reports in a time bound manner without causing any delay. In some cases further details are sought from nodal ministries and also clarification from central agencies relating to the inputs received.

"As decisions on issues relating to national security are taken with due care, the delay, if any, is a part of the process of due diligence," he said.