Nearly 150,000 jobs at risk in debt-ridden telecom sector: Estimates

In April, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had also cautioned commercial banks about loans given to companies in the telecom sector

Nearly 150,000 direct and indirect jobs in India's debt-ridden and loss-making telecom sector face "clear and present danger" of corporate downsizing, as per industry estimates.

At present, the sector is burdened with astronomical debt -- to the tune of nearly Rs 8 lakh crore by some estimates -- and heavy losses due to a slew of freebies which are being doled out by incumbent telecom players to retain their customer base.

The grim reality that the sector faces can be gauged by the comments made by Communications Minister Manoj Sinha at the recently held India Mobile Congress: "The government is aware of