Either perform or take VRS, Sinha to BSNL employees

In a stern message to BSNL employees, Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha on Tuesday said no delay will be tolerated in connecting 100,000 gram panchayats with optical fibre within the stipulated timeframe.

The government aims to provide broadband connectivity to all the 0.25 million gram panchayats by December 2018, with 100,000 panchayats to be connected by March 2017. Sinha said all departments concerned were working with zeal to achieve the target according to the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Those who are working with zeal should be rewarded. And officials from areas where reports of negative growth are coming should take VRS,” Sinha said during a BSNL award function. The minister also asked BSNL to strive for new research and technology. Sinha asked BSNL officers and employees to take competition from big private operators head on.

Speaking on the occasion, Telecom Secretary J S Deepak said it was a matter of pride that since April 2015, BSNL was reporting operating profit and was gaining market share.

In his address, BSNL CMD Anupam Srivastav said revenue of BSNL in 2015-16 was Rs 28,450 crore, 4.4 per cent more than 2014-15. Srivastav said due to paucity of instruments and equipment from 2006 to 2012, BSNL missed the voice bus, but in the last two years several initiatives were taken and BSNL was ready for any challenge.

He informed that in the last two years 26,000 mobile towers were installed and in this financial year 20,000 additional towers would be installed.

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL)