Telecom Department Extends AGR Reassessment for Vodafone Idea

The telecom department has extended the deadline for Vodafone Idea's AGR reassessment to June, following recent government relief and a Supreme Court order. The reassessment will review Spectrum Usage Charges and involves a committee led by a retired government official and a CAG representative, finalizing within two months.

The telecom department expects to finalize the AGR reassessment for Vodafone Idea by June, following an extension of the original March deadline. Sources confirmed this update, highlighting the ongoing review of the Spectrum Usage Charge (SUC) in alignment with internal license fee adjustments.

Government relief granted to Vodafone Idea Limited (VIL), as per a Supreme Court order, has 'frozen' its Adjusted Gross Revenue or AGR dues at Rs 87,695 crore, covering the financial years between 2006-07 and 2018-19. Notably, dues from FY 2017–18 and FY 2018–19 have been exempted from reassessment.

A committee, including a retired Secretary-level officer and a representative from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), is set to decide the outcome of the reassessment by June. The committee's decision will be conclusive and binding for both the Department of Telecommunications and VIL.

(With inputs from agencies.)