MUMBAI: The government raised Rs 32434.10 crore upfront from the spectrum auction this year, against the Rs 43586 cr that the Telecom Department had projected. That is a difference of Rs 2152 cr.

Telecom minister Manoj Sinha stated in the Rajya Sabha that, for 2016-17, DoT estimated Rs 34,586 crore from spectrum auction which was raised by the finance ministry to Rs 63,580.92 crore. Against DoT's projection of Rs 34,586 crore, Rs 32,434.10 crore had been collected as upfront payment from 2016 auction.

The final revenue expected from airwaves auction was based on the base price of each band of spectrum in each licenced service area put to auction, fixed by the government on the recommendation of TRAI, the minister explained.

However, budgetary target projection by DoT can be considered as the revenue target from spectrum auction. Total revenue government raised from the sale of airwaves in 2016 was Rs 65,789.12 crore, the minister added.