NEW DELHI: The government on Wednesday said that it has received Rs 15,896.5 crore payment from telcos towards AGR liabilities.
Minister of State for Communications Sanjay Dhotre in a written reply to the Lok Sabha placed the remaining dues at Rs 1,30,440.4 crore.
However, the number does reflect the latest tranche of payment made by Bharti Airtel. The government informed that Bharti Airtel’s payments (including Telenor) stands at Rs10,000 crore, with balance dues at Rs27,740 crore.
Airtel, however, claims to have paid Rs18,004 crore in two tranches to the Department of Telecommunication (DoT) last month.
Airtel has said that it has cleared its self assess dues of Rs13,004 crore, and deposited extra Rs 5,000 crore to cover the difference in case there is discrepancy in its own assessment and DoT’s calculations.
Similarly, Dhotre informed that Vodafone Idea has paid Rs3,500 crore, putting the balance dues at Rs 49,538 crore. Vodafone Idea has self-assessed its AGR dues at Rs23,000 crore as against DoT’s figure of Rs 53,038.6 crore.
The DoT is said to have asked telcos to submit their self-assessment of dues. The due amounts may be revised once AGR figures are finalised and assessments are accordingly done and also subject to CAG Audit/Special Audit.
When asked how the government proposes to initiate any action over non-compliance of order on payment of dues, Dhotre pointed out that the Centre had directed the licensees to make the payments in accordance with October 24 order of the Supreme Court.
Dhotre said there is such plan at present for the development of telecom sector in the wake of ARG crisis.
He said the government has no information available on speculations over shutting down of Voda Idea. The next hearing on the modification pleas submitted by telcos is on March 17.
Payment made by Bharti Airtel
The government also informed that Bharti Airtel’s payments (including Telenor) stands at Rs 10,000 crore, with balance dues at Rs 27,740 crore.