Limited AGR ‘relief’ leaves Vodafone Idea in limbo, spooks investors
The fate of Vodafone Idea Ltd hangs in the balance, with the Union cabinet on Wednesday clearing a relief plan that punctured hopes, hammered its shares, and shook its fundraising hopes.According to officials familiar with the matter, the cabinet has decided to freeze the struggling telco’s pending adjusted gross revenues (AGR) dues at ₹87,695 crore for five years. The amount can be paid from fiscal year 2032 (FY32) through FY41.That means the AGR amount will not increase, but it does not also reduce the overall AGR dues of the company, even though the officials said that the recalculation is still on the table and the amount may reduce later.
A Supreme Court ruling in October had allowed the government to reassess and recalculate the AGR dues up to FY17.“The AGR dues frozen as on 31 December shall also be reassessed by DoT (department of telecommunications),” one of the officials cited above said on the condition of anonymity. “The outcome shall be decided by a committee appointed by the government and that shall be binding on both parties.”However, the company will still have to pay AGR dues pertaining to FY18 and FY19—which is over and above the ₹87,695 crore in question—from FY26 through FY31, the official added.AGR is the revenue base used to calculate licence fees and spectrum usage charges payable to the government.News of the cabinet’s move shook investor confidence, sending Vi’s stock plunging 11.5% on the National Stock Exchange to ₹10.67 on Wednesday, with no clarity forthcoming on either the overall AGR dues or any relief on interest and penalties pertaining to the dues.Notably, Vodafone Idea said in an exchange filing on Wednesday that it has not received any communication from the government in relation to
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