AGR dues: COAI seeks easier payment terms for telcos, cut in licence fee

Marketplace human body COAI has sent out a distress signal to the govt searching for easier conditions for payment of statutory dues by telcos, together with extension of loans at lower prices to deal with AGR liabilities, as also quick implementation of ground selling prices, to rescue the troubled sect With the telecom field plunging into a deep, unparalleled crisis, the affiliation has lifted an alarm in excess of banks’ unwillingness to just take any danger with regard to the sector, and asserted the “have to have to give a crystal clear message to financial institutions that govt is there to aid the sector”.

“Financial institutions are at the moment unwilling to just take any danger with regard to the telecom sector and are frequently inquiring telecom service suppliers to cut down their exposures by refusing to problem new lender ensures or even to renew lender ensures,” COAI Director Basic, Rajan Mathews explained in a letter to Telecom Secretary Anshu Prakash.

Cellular Operators’ Association of India (COAI) has also explained that the need of monetary lender ensures for securing licence price payments must be finished absent with.

In situation Telecom Division is of the view that monetary lender ensures are wanted, the identical must be lowered to 1 quarter of licence price, as per the field human body.

COAI also sought an instant cut in licence price levy to three per cent from 8 per cent and reduction in spectrum utilization charges.

Citing India’s lower normal earnings per person compared to markets like China, Brazil and Russia, it even more explained knowledge selling prices in India are a fraction of those people in markets are US, China, Germany, France and other folks.

“As a result, ground pricing is essential to make certain the sector is sustainable and in a situation to bear the deferred spectrum and altered gross earnings (AGR) dues, even though continuing to invest in globe course networks,” COAI explained.

COAI’s letter, dated February 26, came even as Vodafone Plan has reportedly created it crystal clear to the govt that it will not likely be equipped to fork out court mandated AGR dues in entirety, until a bailout is extended instantly.

In all, fifteen telecom entities owe the govt Rs 1.47 trillion in unpaid statutory dues — Rs 92,642 crore in unpaid licence price and yet another Rs fifty five,054 crore in fantastic spectrum utilization charges.

Of the estimated dues that include things like curiosity and penalty for late payments, Airtel and Vodafone Plan account for about 60 per cent.

These dues arose just after the Supreme Courtroom, in October previous 12 months, upheld the government’s situation on together with earnings from non-core organizations in calculating the yearly AGR of telecom firms, a share of which is paid out as licence and spectrum price to the exchequer.

The Supreme Courtroom, previously this thirty day period, rejected a plea by cellular carriers this sort of as Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Plan for extension in the payment plan and requested firms to deposit their previous dues for spectrum and licences.