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Cabinet approves Convergence Bill

"The Cabinet approved enactment of a new law on convergence, namely the Convergence Bill," Law Minister Arun Jaitley told reporters after the Cabinet meeting.

He said the Telecom Regulatory Authority Act, Cables Law and Telegraph Act among others would be repealed and submerged into the proposed convergence law.

The Bill, drafted on the recommendations of the Group on Telecom and IT, provides for setting up of a super-regulator - Communication Commissions of India - converging the existing regulatory authorities into the new entity.

However, Jaitley pointed out that Convergence Bill, to be soon introduced in Parliament, needed Presidential approval as it fell into the category of financial legislation.

In a bid to encourage corporatisation of major ports to face international competition, the Union Cabinet also approved an amendment to the Major Port Trust Act and the Indian Ports Act.

Jaitley said the purpose of the amendment to these acts was to create an enabling provision for corporatisation of major ports and fixation of terms and conditions of transfer of assets and liabilities with port trusts to successor companies.

Among the 12 major ports in the country, Jaitley said only Ennore port in Tamil Nadu has been corporatised. The others are expected to follow once amendments to the existing laws are made, he said.

"Our endeavour is to introduce these bills in the current session of Parliament," Jaitley said.

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