PM forms commission to probe ISRO agreement

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has formed a high-level commission to look into allegations of revenue losses in the allocation of space spectrum using S-band - high value and scarce radio waves - between the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) commercial arm and a private company.

The commission will submit its report in a month's time, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said on Thursday.

The two-member commission comprises Planning Commission member B.K. Chaturvedi and Space Commission member and aerospace expert Roddam Narasimha.

Reports have alleged loss of government revenue in a contract entered into by Antrix Corporation -- the commercial arm of ISRO -- and Devas Multimedia Pvt Ltd due to lease of space segment capacity which would use S-Band spectrum.

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has indicated that the alleged deal between Antrix and Devas has caused the nation an estimated loss of Rs.2 lakh crore.

The government Tuesday denied that the nation suffered revenue losses in the allocation of space spectrum using S-band but admitted that the agreement between Antrix and Devas had not explicitly mentioned the end-use terms. Further, it said the agreement was being cancelled.