DoT collects Rs 93 cr as penalty from new operators: Sibal

The government has collected Rs 93 crore penalty from new telecom operators for missing the network roll-out deadline, even as some operators have approached the appellate tribunal TDSAT seeking a stay on it.

"We have received Rs 93 crore from new operators. The total demand is Rs 219 crore," Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal told reporters here.

Uninor, a joint venture between Unitech and Norway's Telenor, has paid the penalty but under protest and has approached TDSAT seeking stay on such drive by the Department of Telecom saying the delay was from the government side.

The TDSAT has reserved the order on Uninor's petition.

On the issue of forming Joint Parliamentary Committee, as demanded by the Opposition, Sibal said "it (the demand for JPC) was absurd. The government has given several alternatives to the Opposition but they never moved even an inch."

He, however, exuded confidence that Budget would be presented by the Government without any hassle.

"We will bring out the truth before the people about the entire telecom issue since 2001," he said.

Earlier, Sibal had quantified revenue loss of Rs 1.43 lakh crore to the exchequer in 2001 due to change in policy by the then NDA regime by switching over to revenue share regime from fixed licence fee scenario.

Asked which are the operators who have paid penalty, the Minister said Etisalat DB, Loop Telecom, Uninor, Sistema-Shyam and Aircel are among the service providers who have paid the liquidated damages (penalty).