State-run BSNL, MTNL yet to clear AGR dues of over Rs 10,000 crore

State-run telecom firms BSNL and MTNL have not cleared their adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues of over Rs 10,000 crore as calculated by the Department of Telecom, according to an official source.

As per the DoT's calculation, AGR liability of BSNL was to the tune of Rs 5,835 crore and for MTNL it was around Rs 4,352 crore up to financial year 2016-17, which includes interest, penalty and interest on penalty.

According to the official source, BSNL and MTNL have not paid any amount towards their liability.

The Supreme Court had last year directed that telecom operators will have to pay 10 per cent of the total dues as demanded by DoT by March 31, 2021.

BSNL and MTNL were not party to the litigation in the AGR case before the apex court, but the telecom PSUs were named in DoT's list of companies from whom dues were to be recovered.

As per government calculations, total AGR liability of Bharti Airtel is Rs 43,980 crore, Vodafone Idea (VIL) Rs 58,254 crore, Tata Group Rs 16,798 crore, Quadrant Televentures Rs 189.22 crore, Reliance Jio Rs 195 crore, Aircel Rs 12,389 crore, Reliance Communications (including Sistema Shyam) Rs 25,194 crore and Videocon Telecom Rs 1,376 crore.

Telecom companies that have shut their business in India, namely Loop Telecom, Etisalat DB and S Tel jointly were liable to pay Rs 604 crore.

Bharti Airtel has paid Rs 18,004 crore out of the total demand, Vodafone Idea Rs 7,854.37crore, Tata Group Rs 4,197.37 crore, Quadrant Televentures 19.73 crore, Reliance Jio Rs 195.18 crore, Hughes Communications Rs 62.9 crore, RCom Rs 4.69 crore and Etisalat DB Rs 8.24 crore (through liquidator), according to official data.