COAI says disappointed that relief for telecom did not figure in economic package

New Delhi: The Cellular Operators’ Association of India (COAI) on Sunday said the industry has been left “disappointed” that its long-standing demand for cut in licence fee and other levies did not figure in measures and reforms announced by the government to boost the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the fifth and final tranche of economic stimulus package to deal with the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. The booster measures announced on Sunday related to MGNREGS, healthcare and education, businesses, de-criminalisation of the Companies Act, ease of doing business, public sector enterprises, and resources related to state governments.

COAI said it is still going through the fine print of the measures announced but added that it is disappointed that the crisis-ridden telecom sector that has demonstrated its ability to maintain connectivity and meet consumer demands for high data and traffic amid lockdown, did not figure specifically in the announcements made.