New Delhi, February, 03, 2021, By IBW Team

The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) while describing the Union Budget 2021 as “pro-investment and pro-growth”, added it was a bit “disappointed” that larger concerns of the telecoms sector remained unaddressed.

‘We welcome the budget as it is pro-investment and pro-growth. It will provide the much- needed impetus to economic growth post the pandemic and will set us on the path to becoming Atmanirbhar Bharat. However, we are a bit disappointed that concerns of the telecom sector, which is the backbone of digital India, remained unaddressed,” COAI said in a statement.

Pointing out that the sector was expecting a reduction in levies, such as LF and SUC on the telecom sector, COAI said the government has also “not considered the request of the industry to exempt the GST from the payment of governement levies such as LF, SUC and spectrum installments, etc”.

As the telecom operators are going to launch 5G services in the country, it is imperative that 5G enabled telecom equipment are available to them at a reasonable price, COAI highlighted. “Thus, there was the need for a reduction in customs duty on telecom equipment. It would have been a much awaited relief if the government provided the right incentives to the sector. We will continue to engage with the government in these areas in the times to come,” the statement added.