Govt, DMK spar over 2G scam, dues of telecom companies

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 18

The Lok Sabha today witnessed heated exchanges between DMK members and Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad over the 2G spectrum scam and issues related to the beleaguered sector, including the government’s push for “staggered” payment, amid massive dues accrued by telecom companies.

To counter DMK members, Prasad said there should be a debate on the issues to know “how much telecom (sector) has suffered because of them.” His remarks were aimed at DMK leaders A Raja and Dayanidhi Maran, who served as telecom ministers during the Congress-led UPA regime.

It all happened during the Question Hour after an argument erupted between Prasad and Raja when the senior DMK leader raised an issue related to statutory dues faced by telecom companies in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling.

The government has filed an application in the Supreme Court, requesting that telcos be allowed to spread the payment of adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues over 20 years or less, at a reduced interest rate of 8%, in a bid to prevent an “adverse impact” on the economy, jobs and millions of consumers, according to the reports.

Referring to “so-called” Rs 1.76 lakh crore loss in 2G spectrum auction, Raja wanted to know who gave the concession to the government to seek staggered payment of statutory dues. “…why suddenly you make a somersault in the Supreme Court that Rs 1,00,000 crore can be stretched over 20 years….who gave this concession to the operators,” Raja wanted to know.

Prasad said “arguments were still going on in Supreme Court,” and he did not want to comment on the issue. Talking about the beleaguered telecom sector, the minister said there were around 90 crore customers and the government had to look at balancing various factors, such as survival of the sector, compliance of the court’s order and interest of the consumers.

The government wants a “fair and transparent” sector, Prasad said, adding that there should be a debate on the subject. Union minister Piyush Goyal also supported him, amid protests by DMK members.

Prasad said he is willing to “have a debate as to how much telecom has suffered because of them (the UPA government of which the DMK was a part).

The court has ruled that telecom companies have to pay statutory dues worth around Rs 1.47 lakh crore to the government.