DoT to send notice to Tatas on AGR dues

NEW DELHI: Amid the controversy over payment of telecom AGR (adjusted gross revenue) dues, Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran spent nearly two hours at the telecom ministry, making a case for the group’s decision to pay only Rs 2,197 crore against the Rs 13,823 crore demanded by the government. However, top ministry officials almost immediately rejected Chandrasekaran’s argument, saying, “We are not convinced by their assessment. We will serve them a notice.”

Chandrasekaran first met telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and also had a meeting with secretary Anshu Prakash, where some other officers of the ministry were also present. While he refused to comment on the meeting, executives at Tata Group said their chairman raised the issue of AGR calculations.