Chawla panel stresses need for transparent database of natural resources

A high-level committee headed by former finance secretary Ashok Chawla today stressed the need for a centralised and transparent database in respect of all natural resources handled by the central government.

This database should be accessible to all government departments for expediting clearances without overlapping and delay, the committee said.

The committee on `Open and Competitive Mechanism for Allocation, Pricing and Utilisation of Natural Resources' which met today, highlighted that this sort of data base should ensure co-ordination amongst different ministries/ departments and should obviate many of the legal disputes pending in various courts of law.

The committee will focus on those natural resources, which are not man-made and are under the direct control of the central government or any of its agencies.

These will include land, water, minerals (including petroleum products like oil and gas) and radio frequency (spectrum).

The committee will consider multiple issues such as public welfare, revenue maximisation, sectoral precedents etc. The policies, therefore, would be tailored differently, depending upon the context of each sector.