- This is the third revival package for BSNL after the first one was issued in 2019 and another one in 2022.
- BSNL’s losses fell to ₹69.82 billion in the year ended March 2022 from ₹74.41 billion a year ago.
The Indian government approved a revival package of ₹89,047 crore ($10.79 billion) for state-run telecom operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) on June 7.
This is the third revival package for BSNL that includes the allotment of the 4G/5G spectrum through an equity infusion.
“With this revival package, BSNL will emerge as a stable telecom service provider focused on providing connectivity to the remotest parts of India,” the cabinet said in a statement.
TEMA (Telecom Equipment Manufacturers Association of India) and CMAI (Communications Mobile Association of India) welcomed the decision and said that such a revival package would support BSNL in network expansion, modernisation, upgrading its technology infrastructure, improve its competitiveness and service quality, and expand its reach to unserved and under-served areas.
Chairman TEMA, Ravi Sharma said, “As a PSU, BSNL plays a crucial role in providing telecommunication services, especially in remote and rural areas where private operators may have limited reach. Supporting the revival of BSNL can contribute to achieving the government’s broader objectives of digital inclusion and connectivity for all.”
Ridden with debt, BSNL has been struggling with poor infrastructure and losses for the past 12 years. Its losses fell to ₹69.82 billion in the year ended March 2022 from ₹74.41 billion a year ago.
The government approved the first revival package for BSNL/MTNL in 2019 worth ₹69,000 crore. In 2022, another revival package worth ₹1.64 lakh crores was approved for financial support for capex, viability gap funding for rural landlines, financial support for de-stressing the balance sheet, and settlement of AGR dues, the merger of BBNL with BSNL, etc.
