AGR dues: Evaluation of telcos self-assessment may take 6 months, says DoT

The financially stressed telecom industry could get a breather as the government has indicated that it would take at least six months to evaluate the companies’ self-assessment of dues linked to adjusted gross revenue (AGR). So far, telcos including Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Tata Teleservices have assessed their dues as a fraction of what the government had estimated.

According to an official with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), numerous documents for multiple years have to be evaluated and cross-checked, making it a lengthy process.

After telcos had made part payment of the dues recently, the government, last week, asked them to settle the AGR bill fully without further delay.