Telecom operators owe Rs 1.65 lakh cr to govt in AGR dues : MoS Devusinh Chauhan

Telecom operators owe over Rs 1.65 lakh crore to the government in adjusted gross revenue up to financial year 2018-19, Parliament was informed on Wednesday. According to data shared by Minister of State for Communications Devusinh Chauhan, liability of telecom operators has increased compared to the previous order with calculation for full financial year 2018-19.
The fresh calculation shows AGR liability on Bharti Airtel was Rs 31,280 crore, Vodafone Idea Rs 59,236.63 crore, Reliance Jio Rs 631 crore, BSNL Rs 16,224 crore, MTNL Rs 5,009.1 crore up to financial year 2018-19.

"Dues are up to FY 2018-19 and subject to revision on the basis of representations by TSPs (telecom service providers), Departmental assessments, CAG/Special Audits, Court Cases etc," Chauhan said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

The dues of telecom operators who have shut down their business like Reliance Communications (including Sistema Shyam) and Aircel remain unchanged at Rs 25,194.58 crore and Rs 12,389 crore, respectively.

Telecom operators had made part payment of the demand raised from them as per order dated September 1, 2020 for the dues calculated till October 2019.

The demand raised in September 2020 includes, total dues calculated generally up to financial year 2016-17 and interest, penalty and interest on penalty due on the total demand up to October 2019.

The outstanding dues based on September 2020 order, after the partial payment, on Airtel was Rs 25,976 crore, Vodafone Idea Rs 50,399.63 crore, nil on Reliance Jio, BSNL Rs 5,835.85 crore, MTNL Rs 4,352.09 crore.

The total outstanding AGR dues on telecom operators was Rs 1,38,889.72 crore after the part payment based on demand raised in September 2020 order.