The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probing the 2G scam has devised a new work schedule to help complete its task by the end of budget session next year, as its term had recently been extended by Parliament.

"We have now decided to have continuous sittings for two days every week. In all, there will be 78 sittings in 44 days. There will be 70 sittings for taking evidence and 8 sittings for finalising the report. The dates have been finalised and we have drawn a timetable", Mr P.C.Chacko, Chairman of the JPC said here.

Parliament had, a few days ago, extended the JPC’s term for another seven months—up to the end of the budget session next year. The JPC, which was to originally submit its report by the end of monsoon session, had sought an extension of its term as it could not complete the process of taking evidence from all the former telecom Secretaries, government departmental heads and former telecom ministers.

Mr Chacko said that the JPC would meet next on September 13 and 14 to take evidence from former Telecom Secretaries—Mr Shyamal Ghosh and Mr Vinod Vaish.

On the presentation made by the top brass of the income tax department, Mr Chacko said that the tax department was looking into the tax liabilities of several companies in the telecom sector. He also mentioned that a foreign telecom company, which had a permanent establishment in India, had offered an "admitted income" of Rs 25 crore to the tax department.

The income tax department has also assessed tax liability of Rs 133 crore for Tata Sons Limited, Mr Chacko said, adding that this related to the assessment year 2008-09.

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