(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?
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 31st 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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