Private telecom operators including Bharti Airtel, Reliance Communications and Tata Teleservices owe Rs 582.88 crore to the government as licence fee and spectrum charges, Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal today said.
Licence fee outstanding up to third quarter of 2011-12 stood at Rs 88.2 crore, while spectrum charges due up to FY2007-08 (including interest thereof up to February 29, 2012) was Rs 494.68 crore, Sibal said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.
Reliance Communications owed Rs 51.12 crore, while Dishnet Wireless Ltd and Bharti Airtel had dues of Rs 18.91 crore and Rs 17.67 crore, respectively, as licence fee.
Reliance Communications and Reliance Infocomm owe Rs 181.02 crore, while Bharti Airtel had dues of Rs 135.07 crore towards spectrum charges.
Tata group companies— Tata Teleservices and Tata Teleservices Maharashtra— owe Rs 86.20 crore and Rs 76.71 crore, respectively.
The Minister said private telecom service providers are being given subsidy from the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) to provide telecom services in rural and remote areas.
A total of Rs 1,879.54 crore has been disbursed to the private operators from the USOF upto February 29, 2012.
Reliance Infocomm has been the biggest beneficiary with a grant of Rs 752.52 crore, followed by Tata Teleservices (Rs 723.43 crore) and Tata Teleservices Maharashtra (Rs 315.62 crore). Bharti Airtel received Rs 0.44 crore.