Government received Rs 288.37 billion as licence fee from operators: Kapil Sibal

In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Minister for Communications and IT has stated that the government has received Rs 288.37 billion in licence fee from operators till the first quarter of 2012-13.

According to Sibal, Bharti Airtel paid Rs 81.82 billion as licence fee during the last three years and the first quarter of 2012-13, while Vodafone India and Idea Cellular paid Rs 55.72 billion and Rs 28 billion for the same period, respectively.

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited paid Rs 45.04 billion as licence fee, while Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited paid Rs 9.8 billion between the period from 2009-10 and the first quarter of 2012-13.

The licence fee earned by the government in 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12 and the first quarter of 2012-13 stood at Rs 84.40 billion, Rs 86.58 billion, Rs 93.59 billion and Rs 23.78 billion, respectively.

Sibal also stated that the government is likely to earn revenue of Rs 123.81 billion in licence fee, while Rs 51.26 billion is the budget estimate for spectrum charges for 2012-13. The telecom operators in the country paid Rs 1.27 trillion as spectrum charges to the government during the same period.

While GSM operators paid Rs 114.76 billion as spectrum charges between the period from 2009-10 and the first quarter of 2012-13, CDMA operators paid Rs 11.83 billion in the same period.

Five operators including Etisalat DB, S Tel, Loop Telecom, Sistema Shyam Teleservices and Videocon Telecom defaulted on paying their licence fees. The default payments by these operators amounted to Rs 865.3 million between 2009-10 and 2011-12.

Sibal informed the Lok Sabha that since S Tel did not pay its licence fee, consequently the government issued orders for the invocation of its bank guarantee. The operator challenged the same in the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal and got an interim stay. The matter is currently sub-judice. Loop Telecom did not pay the demand and its bank guarantee has been encashed to realise the dues, while Etisalat DB, SSTL and Videocon have represented against the demand.

Also, showcause notices have been issued to Allianze Infotech, SSTL, Etisalat, S Tel, Loop Telecom and Videocon for not paying licence fee for the first quarter of the current financial year on self-assessment basis.