After telcos, govt working on relief package for non-telcos' AGR dues: Report

This latest proposal, if approved, could offer a lifeline to Vodafone Idea and stabilise India’s telecom sector while ensuring a level playing field for all operators.

After telcos, the government is gearing up for relief measures for the non-telecom sector. It's working on a financial relief package exceeding Rs 82,000 crore for non-telecom firms with adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues after the Supreme Court’s 2019 verdict, the Economic Times reported.

The relief may exclude non-telecom revenues from AGR calculations, give 50 percent waiver on interest and 100 percent waiver on penalties and interest on penalties, the report said.

As per the report, this relief for non-telcos will be part of the relief package for telcos  and is likely to be announced soon, probably in the Union Budget.

On January 18, Moneycontrol reported govt is valuating a proposal to waive a substantial portion of adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues imposed on telcos like Vodafone Idea and Bharti Airtel.

The AGR controversy stems from the Supreme Court’s October 2019 verdict, which upheld the government's definition of AGR and imposed Rs 1.47 lakh crore in dues on telcos, including Rs 92,642 crore in license fees and Rs 55,054 crore in spectrum usage charges. Notably, 75 percent of these dues comprised interest, penalties, and interest on penalties.

In December 2024, the government eased Vi’s financial pressure by waiving the requirement to provide bank guarantees for past spectrum dues, freeing up Rs 24,800 crore and creating headroom for lenders to extend additional credit.

This latest proposal, if approved, could offer a lifeline to Vodafone Idea and stabilise India’s telecom sector while ensuring a level playing field for all operators.