Govt working on mechanism to support Vodafone Idea: Minister

The government is working on a mechanism to help cash-strapped telecom service provider Vodafone Idea, which sought a waiver of Rs 45,000 crore from its adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues, totalling Rs 83,400 crore, said Minister of State for Communications Pemmasani Chandrasekhar.

The minister, in an interview with TNIE, said it is the government’s duty to protect the ecosystem and that they want companies to flourish, not to die. Vodafone Idea, India’s third-largest telecom service provider, owes Rs 83,400 crore in AGR dues to the government and had sought a waiver of over Rs 45,000 crore, comprising interest, penalty, and interest on penalty.