BSNL is going to be revived in a big way, says Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw

Ashwini Vaishnaw said the Prime Minister had approved a very large package of ₹1,64,000 crore for BSNL’s revival

Union Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw speaks in the Lok Sabha during the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament, in New Delhi. | Photo Credit: PTI

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) had gone through a very bad phase “primarily” due to political parties during the UPA government, and was used like a “cash cow” by certain people who were still Members of Parliament, the Union Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said during Question Hour, on Wednesday.

But now, the Prime Minister had approved a very large package of ₹1,64,000 crore for the revival of BSNL. This project would totally transform it, he added.

“In line with the Prime Minister’s Make-in-India initiative, today, the 4G and 5G technologies stack are made in India, designed in India, and developed in India. Today, it is recognised all over the world. That is the story of telecom. That time has gone…those days are gone… for certain people— from the other side of the House— BSNL was always a cash cow. Those days are gone. Now, BSNL is going to revive in a very big way,” the Minister said, amid protests by Opposition MPs.

Mr. Vaishnaw, however, did not name any person or political party.

The Minister added that the revival measures focussed on infusing fresh capital for upgrading BSNL services, allocating spectrum, de-stressing its balance sheet and augmenting its fibre network, by merging the Bharat Broadband Nigam Limited (BBNL), with the BSNL.

Observing that mobile data in India was one of the cheapest in the world right now, as one gigabyte (GB) data was available for less than ₹20, he said this was around ₹200 during the UPA rule.