As expected, the 3G spectrum auction further intensified on Monday with the provisional winning price for pan-India licence crossing Rs. 6,000 crore, even as Union Communications and Information Technology Minister A. Raja stating that the total revenue to the government from the 3G and BWA auctions would go beyond the earlier estimated figure of Rs. 35,000 crore.
At the end of 46 rounds, the overall provisional winning price stood at Rs. 6,067 crore, with the Delhi circle remaining the most-valued one at Rs. 691 crore, followed by Mumbai at Rs. 635 crore and Tamil Nadu at Rs. 606 crore. Other telecom circles that saw aggressive bidding include Maharashtra (Rs. 588 crore), Gujarat (Rs. 549 crore), Karnataka (Rs. 539 crore) and Andhra Pradesh (Rs. 523 crore). Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, Assam, Jammu and Kashmir and North East circles still to see bidding price going up, which is now hovering at around Rs. 30 crore. At Monday's price, the government would garner over Rs. 25,000 crore from 3G auction alone. On the opening day of the e-auction that began on April 9, provisional winning price has been increasing gradually. While it was Rs. 3,913 crore on April 9, it rose to Rs. 4,085 crore on April 10, to Rs. 4,324 crore on April 12, to Rs. 4,582 on April 13, to Rs. 4,831 crore on April 15, to Rs. 5,095 on April 16, and to Rs. 5,710 on April 17.
