Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee said in his budget speech to Parliament today that the government aims to raise Rs40,000 crore through auction of spectrum, including the radio waves to be freed by the cancellation of 122 licenses by the Supreme Court last month.

The government is targeting overall revenue of Rs58,217 crore in 2012-13 through the spectrum auction and various other fees and charges in the communication space.

Mukherjee announced that the government proposes to raise a total non-tax revenue of Rs58,217 crore in 2012-13 from 'other communication services', as against just Rs16,550.83 crore.

This would include receipts from spectrum held in excess of 6.2 MHz and receipts from auction of spectrum available with government, including spectrum to be vacated by 122 licensees after the Supreme Court verdict.

However these projections may be a bit ephemeral, as several of the companies whose licences have been cancelled are preparing to seek a review of the 2 February order in which the apex court cancelled 122 mobile phone licences given after January 2008 by tainted former telecom minister A Raja.

For the next fiscal, the government also aims to raise funds in the form of license fee from telecom operators, receipts on account of spectrum, usage charges and auction of broadband wireless access spectrum currently in use by central public sector undertakings.