Continued decline in telcos revenue to impact govt collections: Manoj Sinha

Operators pay 8% of their telecom services revenue as licence fee to the government

Revenue collection from telecom services in form of licence fee and spectrum usage charges may be adversely impacted in the current financial year if sales revenue of operators continues to decline, Union minister Manoj Sinha said on Wednesday.

The telecom industry, including state-owned firms, and major banks have apprised the government about the financial stress, the telecom minister informed the Lok Sabha today.

The telecom sector witnessed a sharp decline in revenue in the second half of 2016-17, he said.

"The revenue decline in the second half of financial year 2016-17 was mainly concentrated in the last quarter of the year. The declining