Budget 2024-25: Telecom industry wants govt to junk USOF, slash duties

A clearer definition of gross revenue, GST exemption also sought

Telecom services providers have urged the Ministry of Finance to suspend the universal service obligation fund (USOF) till the existing corpus is exhausted.

In their Budget recommendations, they have also pressed for an exemption from the service tax on “assignment of right to use natural resources” and the slashing of Customs duty on telecom equipment to zero.

The Cellular Operators Association of India (Coai), which represents private sector telecom operators Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea, called for abolishment of USOF levy. “Further, licence fee should be brought down from 3 per cent to 1 per cent