Winter session continues. In this connection, TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh has asked a question to the Communications Minister. In this he gave the details of all the revival packages approved for BSNL in the last ten years and whether BSNL continued to make losses even after the revival packages, and if yes, give the details and reasons for the same.
He also questioned details of actual expenditure of revival funds, item-wise, and results achieved; And what is the reason for delay in national roll-out of 4G and delay in 5G launch and circle-wise situation?
What response was given by the government?
After this, while replying, Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said that BSNL is running in profit. The Communications Minister said that the government has approved the following revival packages for BSNL.
These included the first revival package of approximately ₹ 69,000 crore in 2019, which reduced the operating costs of BSNL. This was followed by a revival package of approximately ₹ 1,64,000 crore in 2022, which included fresh capital infusion, debt restructuring, viability gap funding for rural telephones, etc.
After that, a total expenditure of ₹ 89,000 crore was approved for allocating 4G/5G spectrum to BSNL by 2023. Additional CAPEX assistance of ₹ 6,982 crore approved for nationwide 4G network rollout in 2025. The total expenditure so far from these revival packages is ₹ 2,54,575.39 crore.
‘BSNL is in profit’
Giving information, the Communications Minister said that as a result of these packages, BSNL has started earning operating profit from the financial year 2020‑21.
Under the Self-reliant India initiative, BSNL has installed 97,401, 4G sites using indigenous 4G technology. Of these, 94,458 sites are operational till 30 November 2025. These devices are technically upgradeable to 5G.