BSNL Registers Strong Revival with Revenue Growth, Indigenous 4G Rollout and Rural Connectivity Push: Dr. Pemmasani.

New Delhi:

State-owned telecom company Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has recorded a major turnaround over the past two years, with revenue rising from Rs. 21,000 crore to Rs. 25,000 crore and operational performance improving significantly, Union Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani said on Sunday.

Speaking in an interview with DD India, Dr. Pemmasani described BSNL’s revival as one of the government’s major achievements in strengthening digital infrastructure and connectivity under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He said the telecom PSU, once considered financially weak and technologically outdated, is now emerging as a key pillar of India’s digital inclusion and national development strategy.

Revenue and Profitability Witness Sharp Rise

Highlighting BSNL’s financial turnaround, Dr. Pemmasani stated that the company’s revenue has increased by nearly 20–25 percent in just two years. He added that the improvement in operational efficiency has been even more striking, with EBITDA rising from merely Rs.50 crore to nearly Rs. 7,000 crore.

According to the Minister, the revival was achieved through systematic reforms, better accountability, infrastructure upgrades, and a private-sector style work culture.

“We approached the revival with systematic rigour and private-sector discipline. The results are now visible in stronger finances, indigenous technology, and connectivity reaching India’s remotest corners,” he said.

Infrastructure Modernisation and Tower Upgrades

Dr. Pemmasani explained that several problem areas were identified and addressed during the reform process, including outdated infrastructure, poor tower maintenance, ageing cables, and inconsistent service quality.

He revealed that in states such as Andhra Pradesh, tower uptime had fallen to nearly 75 percent. To improve service reliability, BSNL replaced nearly 50,000 batteries across 50,000 towers, upgraded power systems, and modernised ageing telecom infrastructure.

The Minister said strict performance targets were introduced at state and circle levels for mobile connections, enterprise services, and operational efficiency, while regular monitoring became a key part of the reform strategy.

Indigenous 4G Rollout a Major Milestone

One of the biggest achievements highlighted by the Minister was BSNL’s rapid rollout of indigenous 4G technology.

Dr. Pemmasani said BSNL successfully deployed indigenous 4G services on 1 lakh towers within a year, making India one of only five countries globally to develop deep indigenous 4G telecom technology.

“We have now perfected the indigenous 4G technology to near-global standards,” he said, describing it as a major step towards technological self-reliance.

Affordable Services and Restoring Public Trust

On restoring customer confidence, the Minister acknowledged that rebuilding trust takes time but said BSNL is working aggressively to reconnect with consumers through affordable tariffs and improved services.

He said BSNL is distributing one-rupee SIM cards through India Post offices to encourage people to try the network. Postal workers are also being engaged to spread awareness about BSNL’s improved connectivity, especially in rural and remote areas.

“Our tariffs are much cheaper than those of private telecom operators. In villages where BSNL remains the only reliable option, people should definitely subscribe,” he said.

Connectivity Reaches Remote and Extremism-Hit Areas

The Minister emphasised that one of BSNL’s most impactful contributions has been extending telecom connectivity to remote, tribal, and left-wing extremism-affected regions.

He said around 35,000 villages previously lacked proper connectivity due to difficult terrain, techno-commercial challenges, and security concerns. So far, nearly 25,000 towers have been installed in such areas, while work on another 10,000 towers is underway.

Dr. Pemmasani noted that improved connectivity is helping strengthen governance, security, and development in these regions.

Referring to areas like Narayanpur in Chhattisgarh, he said BSNL’s towers are enabling residents to contact police and emergency authorities more easily, thereby contributing to the reduction of left-wing extremism.

“Once connectivity reaches these regions, development follows and extremism fades,” he remarked.

BharatNet to Expand Rural Broadband Access

The Minister also highlighted the government’s ambitious BharatNet programme, under which Rs. 1.4 lakh crore is being invested to provide high-speed fibre connectivity to every Gram Panchayat across the country.

He said lessons learned from earlier phases of BharatNet have helped improve execution and accountability in the current phase.

At present, around 15 lakh rural households are connected under the project, while the government aims to connect 1.5 crore households in the first phase itself.

Village-level entrepreneurs are also being encouraged to strengthen last-mile connectivity and improve internet access in rural India.

Vision for Viksit Bharat

Dr. Pemmasani stressed that communication infrastructure is central to the vision of “Viksit Bharat 2047,” adding that the transformation is not limited to telecom infrastructure alone but also involves changing the work culture and mindset within public institutions.

Summing up his vision for BSNL over the next five years, the Minister said he wants the company to become “trustworthy, proud, and profitable,” reflecting its growing role in India’s digital future.