The Minister for Communications,
Ravi Shankar Prasad has ruled out privatisation of BSNL and MTNL.
A PTI report
is given below:
New
Delhi, Mar 13 : Government today ruled out privatisation of BSNL and MTNL even
as it admitted that the two state-run telecom service providers were not in the
pink of their health.
Responding
to a supplementary during the Question Hour in Rajya Sabha, Telecom Minister
Ravi Shankar Prasad, said the intention of the government was to bring them
back to profitability.
“The
financial health of MTNL and BSNL are not in good shape. There are several
reasons for this which I want to discuss in the House in greater detail one
day. However, we will make them healthy,” he said.
Prasad
also said that the two erstwhile profit-making entities have been incurring
losses for some years and one of the reasons for their downfall could be traced
into the way these were “forced to function in those days”.
“We
need to improve health of these two companies. There is no attempt to privatise
them,” he said, adding that 25,000 mobile towers are being installed by BSNL
and MTNL to improve their services.
To
another question, Prasad said the telecom subscribers base in the country is
set to touch one billion mark soon from 97.9 crore as on December-end.
Regarding mobile tariff, he said service providers have the flexibility to
offer different tariff schemes depending on the market conditions and other
commercial considerations.
(PTI)
What
is required from the Minister is not assurances and declarations; It is action
and honouring of assurances and fulfilling them. BSNL and MTNL will bounce back
if that is done.
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