In big relief for telcos, govt weighs Rs 1 lakh crore AGR dues waiver

New Delhi: The government is considering a proposal to waive 50% of interest and 100% of penalties and interest on penalties that make up a bulk of the adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues that were levied on telcos like Vodafone Idea and Bharti Airtel after the Supreme Court order of 2019. Such a move, if implemented, would mark a watershed for the telecom business in India and will go a long way toward ensuring that the market doesn’t end up as a private sector duopoly, analysts said.