Boosting BSNL: Government Sanctions Rs 6,982 Crore Additional Capex

The Indian government has taken another significant step to bolster BSNL's growth by approving an additional capex of Rs 6,982 crore for 2025. This news was conveyed to Parliament on Thursday, highlighting the strategic importance of the state-run telecom giant.

Since 2019, BSNL has received various support measures amounting to a whopping Rs 3.22 lakh crore. This includes a foundational Rs 69,000 crore revival package in 2019, followed by Rs 1.64 lakh crore in 2022, and the allocation of 4G and 5G spectrums in 2023, worth Rs 89,000 crore. Minister of State for Telecom, Pemmasani Chandrasekhar, informed the Rajya Sabha of these developments.

BSNL has made noteworthy progress thanks to these initiatives, with 96,300 4G service sites installed as of July 31, while 91,281 sites are operational. These efforts have resulted in operating profits since FY 2020-21, with BSNL securing net profits of Rs 262 crore and Rs 280 crore in the third and fourth quarters of FY 2024-25, respectively.

(With inputs from agencies.)