Govt expects over Rs 35,000-cr revenue from 3G auction: Raja

New Delhi, Apr 19 (PTI) The Indian government hopes to
raise from the ongoing 3G spectrum auction more than Rs
30,000-35,000 crore, an amount estimated eariler, Inida's
Telecom Minister A Raja said Monday.

"Earlier I said the auction could fetch Rs 30,000-35,000
crore, but now I'm optimistic that it may go up," Raja said on
the sidelines of a function here.
He, however, declined to quantify the rise expected.
Till April 17, which was the seventh day of the ongoing
3G spectrum auction, the government was assured of a minimum
revenue of Rs 22,841.44 crore.
The seventh day of 3G spectrum auction saw a huge jump of
63 per cent in the bid price for all-India licence at Rs
5,710.36 crore over the base price of Rs 3,500 crore.
Delhi, after losing its top position to the western
Indian stste of Gujarat earlier, has emerged as the most
valuable circle at a bid value of Rs 626.37 crore followed by
the Mumbai circle at Rs 598.59 crore.
On April 17, 40 rounds had been completed, of which six
rounds were held on the same day.
The southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu logged in the
third highest bid price of Rs 549.24 crore, followed by
Gujarat that experienced negative demand at Rs 533.40 crore.
According to the details available with the Department of
Telecom, Maharashtra, a western state, got a bid of Rs 533.37
crore, while the southern ststes of Karnataka and Andhra
Pradesh received that of Rs 507.97 crore and Rs 493.50 crore,
respectively.
The Indian government is auctioning three slots of 3G
airwaves in 17 telecom service areas. Only two slots are up
for sale across the country for broadband airwaves, which will
begin after the 3G auction. PTI ANA
RDM