DOT to issue fresh notice to telcos calling for full payment of AGR dues

Won't let Tata Teleservices get away by paying only principal; Airtel and Vodafone Idea too have paid only in part; dept to seek legal advice on invoking bank guarantees

Megha Manchanda 

The Department of Telecommunications will issue fresh notices to Idea, and this week for not entirely paying their AGR dues.

While paid Rs 10,000 crore on Monday, Idea paid Rs 2,500 crore that day and another Rs 1,000 crore on Thusday. In all, it owes Rs 53,000 crore to the Telecom Department.

Meanwhile, Tata Teleservices, which paid Rs 2,197 crore as 'full and final payment' as AGR dues on Monday, will be issued a separate notice seeking full payment of dues as per the Union government's calculation.

had stated the company's dues were to the tune of Rs 14,000 crore.

According to a department official, "cannot escape paying the full amount."

claims that the Rs 2,197 crore it paid is only the principal amount. "They are yet to pay the interest on that principal, (along with) penalty and interest on penalty," the official said.

is also awaiting the legal opinion it sought in the matter of AGR (Adjusted Gross Revenue).

"We can invoke bank guarantees even now, but we have sought a legal view on whether we should do so before March 17 or not," he added.

Amid the financial stress over payment of (AGR) dues, Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal and Idea Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla met with the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday.

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First Published: Thu, February 20 2020. 13:56 IST