Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR)

Despite substantial jump in revenue receipts in the 4Q, telcos are still not paying their adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues. Bharti Airtel has raised $3 billion by selling 3.72 per cent in QIP issues, but has paid only Rs 18,000 crore so far. Vodafone Idea is making substantial investments in network upgradation, it has so far paid only about Rs 3,000 crore. It has recently received $200 million from its UK parent Vodafone Inc, but has not cleared the DoT AGR dues. Probably, both the companies are relying for paying the same by raising tariff and hoping that Trai will, as well, issue floor tariff for mobile services.

Already eight months have passed since the October 2019 judgment, but it appears that DoT is not interested in calculating dues. The figures submitted by the DoT to the apex court of about Rs 169,049 crore dues