Lok Sabha Question No. 359 (STARRED), answered on 2015-12-23
Subject: Outstanding Dues against Operators
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: RAMA DEVI, RAMSINH PATALYABHAI RATHWA

## MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.359 TO BE ANSWERED ON 23 rd  DECEMBER, 2015

## OUTSTANDING DUES AGAINST OPERATORS

## †*359. SHRIMATI RAMA DEVI: SHRI RAMSINH RATHWA:

Will  the  Minister  of  COMMUNICATIONS  AND  INFORMATION  TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

- (a) whether huge dues are outstanding against certain Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) with reference to licence fee, spectrum usage charges, penalties for violation of rules, etc.;
- (b) if  so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government to recover the dues from the operators and the penalties imposed on them, operators-wise;
- (c) whether some TSPs have reportedly gone to courts in this regard and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the details of pendency along with the amount of funds locked in these cases; and
- (e) the steps taken by the Government to recover the outstanding dues?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

- (a) to (e) A Statement is laid on the table of the House.

Contd……2/-

## STATEMENT TO BE LAID ON THE TABLE OF THE LOK SABHA IN RESPECT OF PARTS  (a)  TO  (e)  OF  LOK    SABHA  STARRED  QUESTION  NO.359  FOR  23 rd DECEMBER, 2015 REGARDING 'OUTSTANDING DUES AGAINST OPERATORS'.

(a) & (b) The  total  outstanding  dues  against  Major  Telecom  Service  Providers  is Rs.47,776.45 Crore. The details of outstanding dues is attached at Annexure-A.

The steps taken by the Government to recover the dues from the operators include issue  of  demands  as  per  the  terms  and  conditions  of  the  license  agreements  and defending  the  cases  in  TDSAT,  various  High  Courts  and  Hon'ble  Supreme  Court  of India. Government of India has collected License Fee and spectrum Usage Charges to the extent of Rs. 1.70 lakh crore (approximately) up to the 2 nd quarter of financial year 2015-16 from the date of commencement of Revenue Share Regime.

(c) & (d) The  total  amount  under  litigation  in  respect  of  Major  Telecom  Service Providers is Rs 17,043.39 crore. The details are attached at Annexure-B.

(e) The  cases  are  defended  in  TDSAT,  various  High  Courts  and  Hon'ble  Supreme Court of India. The action shall be taken depending upon the judgments.

Contd……..3/-

Annexure-A Rupees in crore

| Lok Sabha starred Question No. *359 to be answered on 23.12.2015   | Lok Sabha starred Question No. *359 to be answered on 23.12.2015   | Lok Sabha starred Question No. *359 to be answered on 23.12.2015   | Lok Sabha starred Question No. *359 to be answered on 23.12.2015   | Lok Sabha starred Question No. *359 to be answered on 23.12.2015   | Lok Sabha starred Question No. *359 to be answered on 23.12.2015   | Lok Sabha starred Question No. *359 to be answered on 23.12.2015   | Lok Sabha starred Question No. *359 to be answered on 23.12.2015   | Lok Sabha starred Question No. *359 to be answered on 23.12.2015   |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Outstanding dues against Major TSPs                                | Outstanding dues against Major TSPs                                | Outstanding dues against Major TSPs                                | Outstanding dues against Major TSPs                                | Outstanding dues against Major TSPs                                | Outstanding dues against Major TSPs                                | Outstanding dues against Major TSPs                                | Outstanding dues against Major TSPs                                | Outstanding dues against Major TSPs                                |
| S. No.                                                             | Operator                                                           | L.Fee arrears                                                      | Spectrum Charges arrears                                           | EMR Penalty arrears                                                | CAF Penalty arrears                                                | EMR testing Fee arrears                                            | MNP testing Fee arrears                                            | Total arrears from Compa nies                                      |
| 1                                                                  | Aircel Ltd/ Dishnet Wireless Ltd                                   | 1169.54                                                            | 1919.03                                                            | 378.75                                                             | 410.75                                                             | 0.50                                                               | 0.00                                                               | 3623.33                                                            |
| 2                                                                  | M/s Bharti Airtel /Hexacom Ltd                                     | 3063.11                                                            | 4770.48                                                            | 1371.08                                                            | 98.93                                                              | 0.20                                                               | 0.00                                                               | 8066.65                                                            |
| 3                                                                  | BSNL                                                               | 4451.04                                                            | 4830.28                                                            | 1487.79                                                            | 424.45                                                             | 0.25                                                               | 0.10                                                               | 11193.56                                                           |
| 4                                                                  | BPL ( Loop Comm.Ltd)                                               | 111.00                                                             | 670.52                                                             | 0.00                                                               | 0.00                                                               | 0.00                                                               | 0.35                                                               | 779.42                                                             |
| 5                                                                  | Idea Cellular Ltd                                                  | 1703.49                                                            | 2097.27                                                            | 784.64                                                             | 61.81                                                              | 0.43                                                               | 0.00                                                               | 4647.21                                                            |
| 6                                                                  | MTNL                                                               | 590.11                                                             | 2859.07                                                            | 24.30                                                              | 2.05                                                               | 0.00                                                               | 0.00                                                               | 3475.53                                                            |
| 7                                                                  | Reliance Communications Ltd                                        | 2226.81                                                            | 1520.62                                                            | 979.91                                                             | 354.39                                                             | 0.31                                                               | 0.02                                                               | 4361.68                                                            |
| 8                                                                  | Reliance Telecom Ltd                                               | 111.27                                                             | 380.67                                                             | 0.00                                                               | 0.00                                                               | 0.00                                                               | 0.00                                                               | 491.94                                                             |
| 9                                                                  | Videocon Ltd                                                       | 82.38                                                              | 34.30                                                              | 167.40                                                             | 0.05                                                               | 0.00                                                               | 0.00                                                               | 284.13                                                             |
| 10                                                                 | Vodafone Ltd                                                       | 2619.07                                                            | 4157.78                                                            | 819.50                                                             | 97.04                                                              | 0.35                                                               | 0.00                                                               | 7693.39                                                            |
| 11                                                                 | Tata Teleservices Ltd                                              | 943.11                                                             | 1041.36                                                            | 670.83                                                             | 154.57                                                             | 0.75                                                               | 0.00                                                               | 2809.87                                                            |
| 12                                                                 | Tata Teleservices Ltd ( TTML)                                      | 52.10                                                              | 0.00                                                               | 0.00                                                               | 0.00                                                               | 0.00                                                               | 0.00                                                               | 52.10                                                              |
| 13                                                                 | Tata Communications Ltd                                            | 659.37                                                             | 0.00                                                               | 0.00                                                               | 0.00                                                               | 0.00                                                               | 0.00                                                               | 297.64                                                             |
| Total                                                              | Total                                                              | 17782.40                                                           | 24281.38                                                           | 6684.20                                                            | 1604.04                                                            | 2.79                                                               | 0.47                                                               | 47776.45                                                           |

Note-I: The License fee collection figures are as on 30.11.2015.

Note-II: The SUC collection figures are as on 30.11.2015.

Note-III: The EMR penalty collection figures are as on 30.09.2015.

Note-IV: The EMR testing collection figures are as on 30.09.2015.

Note-V: The MNP testing collection figures are as on 30.09.2015.

Note-VI: Out of total outstanding of Rs. 47,776.45 crore, the amounts under litigation is Rs.

17,043.39 crore pertaining to major TSPs.

Contd…….4/-

Annexure-B

## Rupees in crore

| Lok Sabha starred Question No. *359 to be answered on 23.12.2015 Operators-wise details of amounts locked in litigations ( Major Operators).   | Lok Sabha starred Question No. *359 to be answered on 23.12.2015 Operators-wise details of amounts locked in litigations ( Major Operators).   | Lok Sabha starred Question No. *359 to be answered on 23.12.2015 Operators-wise details of amounts locked in litigations ( Major Operators).   | Lok Sabha starred Question No. *359 to be answered on 23.12.2015 Operators-wise details of amounts locked in litigations ( Major Operators).   | Lok Sabha starred Question No. *359 to be answered on 23.12.2015 Operators-wise details of amounts locked in litigations ( Major Operators).   | Lok Sabha starred Question No. *359 to be answered on 23.12.2015 Operators-wise details of amounts locked in litigations ( Major Operators).   | Lok Sabha starred Question No. *359 to be answered on 23.12.2015 Operators-wise details of amounts locked in litigations ( Major Operators).   | Lok Sabha starred Question No. *359 to be answered on 23.12.2015 Operators-wise details of amounts locked in litigations ( Major Operators).   |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S. No.                                                                                                                                         | Operator                                                                                                                                       | LF                                                                                                                                             | SUC                                                                                                                                            | CAF                                                                                                                                            | EMF                                                                                                                                            | EMF Test Fee                                                                                                                                   | Total                                                                                                                                          |
| 1                                                                                                                                              | Aircel Ltd/ Dishnet Wireless L                                                                                                                 | 42.00                                                                                                                                          | 125.11                                                                                                                                         | 352.74                                                                                                                                         | 354.15                                                                                                                                         | 0.47                                                                                                                                           | 874.47                                                                                                                                         |
| 2                                                                                                                                              | M/s Bharti Airtel / Hexacom                                                                                                                    | 2214.68                                                                                                                                        | 1180.17                                                                                                                                        | 408.83                                                                                                                                         | 1311.22                                                                                                                                        | 0.20                                                                                                                                           | 5115.10                                                                                                                                        |
| 3                                                                                                                                              | BPL ( Loop Comm.Ltd)                                                                                                                           | 111.00                                                                                                                                         | 65.73                                                                                                                                          | 0.00                                                                                                                                           | 34.85                                                                                                                                          | 0.02                                                                                                                                           | 211.60                                                                                                                                         |
| 4                                                                                                                                              | Idea Cellular Ltd                                                                                                                              | 220.88                                                                                                                                         | 521.00                                                                                                                                         | 54.06                                                                                                                                          | 748.83                                                                                                                                         | 0.43                                                                                                                                           | 1545.20                                                                                                                                        |
| 5                                                                                                                                              | Reliance Communications Ltd                                                                                                                    | 730.88                                                                                                                                         | 581.49                                                                                                                                         | 202.84                                                                                                                                         | 962.24                                                                                                                                         | 0.22                                                                                                                                           | 2477.67                                                                                                                                        |
| 6                                                                                                                                              | Reliance Telecom Ltd                                                                                                                           | 9.52                                                                                                                                           | 228.84                                                                                                                                         | 0.00                                                                                                                                           | 0.00                                                                                                                                           | 0.00                                                                                                                                           | 238.36                                                                                                                                         |
| 7                                                                                                                                              | Videocon Ltd                                                                                                                                   | 43.73                                                                                                                                          | 34.30                                                                                                                                          | 0.00                                                                                                                                           | 147.50                                                                                                                                         | 0.05                                                                                                                                           | 225.58                                                                                                                                         |
| 8                                                                                                                                              | Vodafone Ltd                                                                                                                                   | 2293.80                                                                                                                                        | 1126.78                                                                                                                                        | 156.12                                                                                                                                         | 749.67                                                                                                                                         | 0.35                                                                                                                                           | 4326.72                                                                                                                                        |
| 9                                                                                                                                              | Tata Teleservices Ltd                                                                                                                          | 303.04                                                                                                                                         | 547.60                                                                                                                                         | 126.57                                                                                                                                         | 654.85                                                                                                                                         | 0.21                                                                                                                                           | 1632.27                                                                                                                                        |
| 10                                                                                                                                             | Tata Teleservices Ltd ( TTML)                                                                                                                  | 52.10                                                                                                                                          | 0.00                                                                                                                                           | 0.00                                                                                                                                           | 0.00                                                                                                                                           | 0.75                                                                                                                                           | 52.85                                                                                                                                          |
| 11                                                                                                                                             | Tata Communications Ltd                                                                                                                        | 343.57                                                                                                                                         | 0.00                                                                                                                                           | 0.00                                                                                                                                           | 0.00                                                                                                                                           | 0.00                                                                                                                                           | 343.57                                                                                                                                         |
| Total                                                                                                                                          | Total                                                                                                                                          | 6365.20                                                                                                                                        | 4411.02                                                                                                                                        | 1301.16                                                                                                                                        | 4963.31                                                                                                                                        | 2.70                                                                                                                                           | 17043.39                                                                                                                                       |

1. License Fee figures are as on 31.10.2015. 2. SUC figures are as on 30.11.2015. 3. CAF figures are as on 30.09.2015. 4. EMF figures are as on 30.09.2015. 5. EMF test figures are as on 30.09.2015.

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