The Hindu : National : Defer licence fee payment by FM operators: TRAI

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 07, 2004

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National

Defer licence fee payment by FM operators: TRAI

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, APRIL 6. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) today recommended that all private FM radio broadcasters be given the option of deferring payment of the next instalment of their licence fees.

Making its interim recommendations on private FM radio broadcasting to the Government, the regulator said that the operators could be given the option of deferring the payments, which may fall due, till a final decision was taken. However, this concession should be subject to the condition that the dues as finally decided by the Government — after taking into account the TRAI's recommendations on the quantum of licence fees found payable — would be collected from the broadcasters with interest from the due date. In its final recommendations, the TRAI would address the issue of licence fee payable as well as the relevant interest rate.

The Information and Broadcasting Ministry had on February 12 sent the report of the Task Force headed by the FICCI Secretary-General, Amit Mitra, to the TRAI for making appropriate recommendations.

The interim recommendations come in the wake of a recent meeting between five private FM broadcasters and the Deputy Prime Minister. During the meeting, the broadcasters pleaded for the deferment of the annual licence fee till the Government took a decision on the implementation of FM Radio Task Force report.

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