Summary:
Union Minister Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani said BSNL has achieved a major turnaround over the last two years through infrastructure modernisation, operational reforms, and the rollout of indigenous telecom technology. He highlighted that the company’s revenue increased from Rs 210 billion to Rs 250 billion, while EBITDA surged to nearly Rs 70 billion, reflecting stronger efficiency and progress toward profitability. The minister noted that BSNL improved tower uptime, upgraded ageing infrastructure, and rapidly deployed indigenous 4G services across 100,000 towers. He also emphasised efforts to expand connectivity in remote villages through new tower installations and the BharatNet initiative, which aims to provide high-speed fibre access to rural India. According to him, the revival aligns with the government’s broader vision of digital inclusion and Viksit Bharat 2047, with BSNL’s future focused on becoming “trustworthy, proud, and profitable.”
According to Union Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has undergone a significant turnaround over the past two years under the leadership of the Prime Minister, evolving from a struggling public sector company into a major contributor to digital inclusion and national development. He stated that improvements in work culture, tower conditions, and outdated infrastructure played a crucial role in the revival process.
The minister said BSNL adopted a structured and disciplined approach inspired by private-sector practices, leading to stronger financial performance, wider connectivity, and the deployment of indigenous telecom technology. He highlighted that the company’s revenue increased from Rs 210 billion to Rs 250 billion within two years, while EBITDA rose sharply from Rs 0.5 billion to nearly Rs 70 billion, reflecting improved operational efficiency and progress toward profitability.
Explaining the operational reforms, he noted that tower uptime in states such as Andhra Pradesh was previously around 75 per cent. To improve performance, BSNL replaced nearly 50,000 batteries across telecom towers, upgraded power systems, modernised ageing cable infrastructure, and introduced systematic performance targets along with regular monitoring and accountability measures.
A major achievement in the revival effort has been the rapid deployment of indigenous 4G technology. The minister said BSNL rolled out homegrown 4G services across 100,000 towers within a year and has refined the technology to near-global standards, making India one of the few countries capable of developing advanced indigenous telecom infrastructure.
On rebuilding customer confidence, he acknowledged that public trust would take time to restore. However, he pointed to BSNL’s lower tariffs compared to private telecom operators and initiatives such as offering Re 1 SIM cards through India Post offices to encourage users to try the network. India Post workers are also helping raise awareness about BSNL’s upgraded services, particularly in rural regions where BSNL often remains the most reliable connectivity provider.
The minister also highlighted the impact of telecom expansion in remote and tribal regions. Around 35,000 villages previously lacked adequate connectivity because of geographical challenges, financial limitations, or left-wing extremism. He said approximately 25,000 towers have already been installed in these areas, while another 10,000 are under development as part of the government’s mission to connect every village, regardless of location.
He further explained that improved telecom connectivity has contributed to security and social stability in regions such as Narayanpur in Chhattisgarh by enabling quicker communication with law enforcement agencies. According to him, greater connectivity helps drive development and gradually reduces extremism in underserved regions.
Complementing BSNL’s expansion is the BharatNet initiative, under which the government is investing nearly Rs 1.4 trillion to extend high-speed fibre connectivity to every Gram Panchayat. The minister said lessons learned from earlier phases of BharatNet have helped improve execution and accountability. While about 1.5 million rural households are currently connected, the government aims to reach 15 million households during the first phase of the programme, while also encouraging local entrepreneurs to improve last-mile connectivity.
Emphasising the broader national objective, the minister said communication infrastructure is central to the Prime Minister’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, adding that the effort goes beyond towers and cables to include transformation in the functioning and culture of public institutions. He concluded by describing BSNL’s long-term future in three words: “trustworthy, proud, and profitable.”
