The Government has invited comments on draft National Competition Policy. This aims to create a framework of policies and regulations that will inform other policies to facilitate competitive outcomes in the market.
A committee, constituted to draft the policy, has submitted its report. It has suggested providing a mechanism for fair pricing and inclusionary behaviour, particularly of public utilities. It also recommended review of all existing and new Acts, regulations or policies to correct where anti-competitive outcomes were noticed. Such a move would proactively promote competition principles.
The report also talks about institutional separation among policy making, operations and regulatory wings of the Government.
It suggests fair market regulation procedures either by public authorities, regulatory bodies or through self-regulatory mechanisms.
The committee also made a suggestion about providing ‘Competitive neutrality', in order to establish a ‘level playing field.' It recommended a mechanism to provide third party access in essential facilities.
Such a move would require dominant infrastructure and intellectual property right owners to grant access to third parties to their essential infrastructure and platforms on agreed, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms and conditions aligned with competition principles.
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