Bsnl Seeks Licence Fee Waiver

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) has written to the Planning Commission and the finance ministry seeking reimbursement of the annual licence fee amounting to nearly Rs 2,000 crore.

While BSNL has been getting reimbursements for the past two years, the Budget 2003-04 has made no such provisions.

While the Budget proposal was as per the earlier agreed package that BSNL would have to pay licence fee from the third year of operations after corporatisation, BSNL officials said the public sector undertaking was still reeling under heavy financial burden and therefore, the time span for reimbursement had to be extended.