Guwahati: Budget 2023-24: COAI urges Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to cut license fee, waiver of customs on equipment for 5G rollout.

Apex mobile operators association, Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has urged the finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman to announce a cut in license fee to 1 percent and has sought waiver of customs duty on network equipment for 5G rollout.

COAI includes telecom operators like Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea as its members.

In its budget wish list submitted to the Finance Ministry, COAI has also pushed for the abolition of the Universal Service Obligation Fund or USOF.

The apex telecom association has urged the government for rationalisation of GST (Goods and Services Tax), reduction of license fee to 1 percent from 3 percent and waiver of customs duty on 5G (5th generation) network equipment.

During the pre-budget discussions, COAI also sought the removal of GST on the licence fee, spectrum usage charges and payment of spectrum acquired in auctions.

Other demands include a refund of the accumulated input tax credit of GST (Rs. 32,000 crore) and clarification regarding the availability of input tax.

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