Mobile Tariff Hike: Prepaid and postpaid mobile tariffs have become expensive from July 3, 2024. The country’s three major telecom companies, Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea, have increased mobile tariffs by up to 25 percent, due to which customers are going to be burdened. After the tariff hike by the three mobile companies, the Modi government at the Center has come under the target of the main opposition party Congress. Attacking the government, Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said that the Modi government has put an annual burden of Rs 34,824 crore on 109 crore cell phone users.
Tariff increased with the consent of the government!
While addressing a press conference, Randeep Surjewala said that all three telecom companies have increased mobile tariffs from July 3 and 4. He said that the three cell phone companies Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea, which have a market share of 91.6 percent and have 109 crore cell phone users, have put the burden of tariff hike of Rs 34,824 crore annually on the customers with the direct consent of the Modi government.
All three companies increased tariffs within 72 hours
Citing TRAI’s report, Randeep Surjewala said, by December 31, 2023, telecom companies were earning an average of Rs 152.55 per month from their users. He said that Reliance Jio has increased its tariff rate by 12 to 27 percent. Airtel increased tariffs by 11 – 21 percent and Vodafone Idea by 10 – 24 percent. Surjewala alleged that the three companies consulted among themselves and announced the increase in mobile tariffs within 72 hours. He said that this tariff hike will give additional income of Rs 17,568 crore annually to Reliance Jio, Rs 10,704 crore to Airtel and Rs 6552 crore to Vodafone Idea.
Question to the government on tariff hike
Congress has asked many questions to the Modi government regarding the mobile tariff hike. First – How were telecom companies with 92 percent market share allowed to unilaterally increase tariff by Rs 34,824 crore? Second – Did the government and TRAI turn their back on their duty and responsibility towards 109 crore users? Third – Was the mobile tariff hike allowed? Lok Sabha Elections Was it deferred till the end? And fourthly, has the government or TRAI studied the capital expenditure needs of telecom companies or not?
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