Lok Sabha Question No. 1406 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-28
Subject: Loss in Revenue From Telecom Service Providers
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: P.R. Natarajan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1406 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28 th   JULY, 2021

## LOSS IN REVENUE FROM TELECOM SERVICE PROVIDERS

## 1406.   SHRI NATARAJAN P.R.:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has any statistics with regard to loss in revenue on account of underpayment  of  license  fee,  Adjusted  Gross  Revenue  (AGR)  and  related  issues  of  Telecom Service Providers(TSPs);
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the action taken/being taken by the Government against those TSPs for such underpayment and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (d) the total payment due from TSPs as on date?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS (SHRI DEVUSINH CHAUHAN)

(a) to (d) Department  of  Telecom  grants  various  Licenses  under  Section  4  of  the  Indian Telegraph Act 1885, wherein the License Fee is payable by the Telecom Service Providers (TSP) as  a  percentage  of  the  Adjusted  Gross  Revenue  (AGR).  The  dispute  over  what  constitutes  the definition of AGR was subjudice before the Hon'ble Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) and the Hon'ble Supreme Court since 2003. The Hon'ble Supreme Court vide its  judgment  dated  24.10.2019  upheld  the  stand  of  Department  of  Telecom  and  dismissed  the appeals filed by the TSPs.

The  Hon'ble  Supreme  Court  vide  its  order  dated  01.09.2020  has  inter-alia  allowed  the TSPs to make the payment of AGR related dues in yearly instalments commencing from 1.4.2021 up to 31.03.2031 payable by 31 st March of every year. The Hon'ble Court has also given various directions towards the compliance of the judgment.

The  details  of  the  dues  as  determined  payable  by  the  Hon'ble  Supreme  Court  and  the payment received pursuant to the judgement, as submitted before the Hon'ble Supreme Court are attached as Annexure-I

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## TSP Wise payment received and Outstanding in AGR Case

| Sr. No   | Name of the company                              | Dues as per the order dated 01.09.2020 (Rs. Cr.)   | Total Payment received till date (Rs. Cr.)   | Out-standing Payable (Rs. Cr)   |
|----------|--------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
| 1        | BHARTI AIRTEL GROUP                              | 43,980.00                                          | 18,004.00                                    | 25,976.00                       |
| 2        | TELENOR INDIA PVT. LTD.                          | 43,980.00                                          | 18,004.00                                    | 25,976.00                       |
| 3        | IDEA CELLULAR LTD.                               | 58,254.00                                          | 7,854.37                                     | 50,399.63                       |
| 4        | VODAFONE GROUP OF COMPANIES                      | 58,254.00                                          | 7,854.37                                     | 50,399.63                       |
|          | VODAFONE IDEA                                    | 58,254.00                                          | 7,854.37                                     | 50,399.63                       |
| 5        | TATA GROUP OF COMPANIES                          | 16,798.00                                          | 4,197.37                                     | 12,600.63                       |
| 6        | QUADRANT TELEVENTURES LIMITED                    | 189.91                                             | 19.73                                        | 170.18                          |
| 7        | RELIANCE JIO INFOCOMM LTD                        | 70.53                                              | 195.18                                       | -                               |
| 8        | AIRCEL GROUP OF COMPANIES                        | 12,389.00                                          | 0                                            | 12,389                          |
| 9        | RELIANCE COMMUNICATIONS/RELIANCE TELECOM LIMITED | 25,199.27                                          | 4.69                                         | 25,194.58                       |
| 10       | SISTEMA SHYAM TELESERVICES LTD                   | 25,199.27                                          | 4.69                                         | 25,194.58                       |
| 11       | VIDEOCON TELECOMMUNICATIONS LTD.                 | 1,376.00                                           | 0                                            | 1,376.00                        |
| 12       | LOOP TELECOM PVT. LTD.                           | 604.00                                             | 0                                            | 595.76                          |
| 13       | ETISALAT DB TELECOM PRIVATE LIMITED              | 604.00                                             | 8.24                                         | 595.76                          |
| 14       | S TEL PVT. LTD                                   | 604.00                                             | 0                                            | 595.76                          |
| 15       | BHARAT SANCHAR NIGAM LIMITED                     | 5,835.85                                           | 0                                            | 5,835.85                        |
| 16       | MAHANAGAR TELEPHONE NIGAM LIMITED                | 4,352.09                                           | 0                                            | 4,352.09                        |
|          | TOTAL                                            | 1,69,048.65                                        | 30,283.59                                    | 1,38,889.72                     |

Note: Payment of Rs. 62.90 Cr. has been received from M/s Hughes Communications India Pvt. Ltd.

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