New Delhi: A fiery debate erupted in the Parliament concerning the financial health of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), the state-owned telecom company. The clash erupted between the ruling party and the opposition, with accusations of “misinformation and misleading statements” flying across the floor of the house on Wednesday.
The debate was ignited by UBT MP Arvind Sawant, who challenged his fellow parliamentarians from the NDA bench about their telecom provider choices, suggesting widespread use of Reliance Jio over BSNL. Sawant went further, accusing Union Minister Scindia of misleading the lower house regarding BSNL’s financial health, an allegation that sparked an immediate and forceful response. “Raise your hands if you are using BSNL. I know everyone here is using Jio!” he said adding that the “lawmakers use BSNL sim cards because it is free.”
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Union Minister of Communications @JM_Scindia replies to the questions asked by member during #QuestionHour in #LokSabha regarding Financial Burden on BSNL.@ombirlakota @loksabhaspeaker @LokSabhaSectt@BSNLCorporate pic.twitter.com/kzOFb57fM3
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Minister Scindia rejected Sawant’s accusations, emphasising the government’s commitment to the well-being of BSNL’s over 50,000 employees. Scindia deemed Sawant’s statement insulting and inappropriate for the parliamentary setting. This retort did not quell the tension, leading to a heated exchange between the ruling party and the opposition, turning the discussion into a shouting match. “It is insulting for such statements to be made on the floor of the house,” Scindia said.
Adding fuel to the fire, MP Dhanorkar Pratibha Suresh highlighted BSNL’s significant financial burden, questioning the government’s actions to improve the company’s financial standing. Minister Scindia responded in Marathi, outlining the 2019 revival package provided to BSNL, which he credited with transforming it from a loss-making to a profitable entity.
The government’s efforts to revive BSNL extend beyond the 2019 package. In 2022, the Union Cabinet approved an additional Rs 1.64 lakh crore revival package, aiming to boost BSNL’s competitiveness within India’s challenging telecom market.
This package is a three-pronged approach focused on, capital infusion by providing fresh capital to upgrade BSNL’s services and infrastructure, and balance sheet strengthening to address BSNL’s debt and financial vulnerabilities and network augmentation to expand BSNL’s fibre network through the merger with Bharat Broadband Nigam Limited (BBNL).
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