No case for differential treatment for PSUs on statutory dues matter: COAI

Industry body COAI said on Wednesday that AGR formula being applied on mobile operators should be applicable on all other categories of telecom licences and there can be no differential treatment for relevant PSUs in this regard.

“The question is are you a telecom licencee and if you are then the terms of the licence apply. The court has looked at the terms of the licence, so that same principle then should be applied on every licensed agreement, including for relevant PSUs,” Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) Director General, Rajan Mathews told PTI.

Fifteen telecom companies owe the government Rs 92,642 crore in unpaid licence fee and another Rs 55,054 crore in outstanding spectrum usage charges. These liabilities arose after the Supreme Court in October last year held that non-core revenues have to be considered for calculating statutory dues from Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR).