BSNL Scripts Major Revival Under Modi Govt, Says Dr Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani

Dr. Pemmasani revealed that one of the first priorities was improving network infrastructure and ensuring better tower reliability across the country.

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), once considered a financially stressed public sector telecom company struggling to compete in India's rapidly evolving digital market, is now witnessing a remarkable turnaround under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to Union Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development, Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani.

In an interview with DD India, Dr. Pemmasani detailed the transformation journey of BSNL over the last two years, describing it as one of the most significant revival stories in India's public sector landscape. He said the company has undergone structural, operational and technological reforms that are helping it emerge as a key pillar of India's digital connectivity mission and rural development strategy.

The Minister explained that the revival process was neither easy nor immediate, as BSNL faced several longstanding issues including outdated infrastructure, poor tower performance, inefficient work culture and declining public confidence. However, he noted that a focused and disciplined reform strategy helped reverse the decline.

According to Dr. Pemmasani, the government approached the revival of BSNL with "systematic rigour and private-sector discipline," introducing accountability mechanisms, infrastructure upgrades and performance targets at every operational level.

One of the strongest indicators of the turnaround has been the company's financial performance. BSNL's annual revenue has increased from nearly ₹21,000 crore to around ₹25,000 crore within two years, representing a growth of approximately 20 to 25 percent. Even more striking has been the dramatic rise in EBITDA, which surged from a modest ₹50 crore to nearly ₹7,000 crore, signalling improved operational efficiency and a strong movement toward profitability.

Dr. Pemmasani revealed that one of the first priorities was improving network infrastructure and ensuring better tower reliability across the country. He cited Andhra Pradesh as an example where tower uptime had fallen to nearly 75 percent before corrective measures were introduced.

To address the issue, BSNL undertook a large-scale modernization exercise involving the replacement of nearly 50,000 batteries across 50,000 telecom towers, upgrades to power systems and replacement of ageing cables and equipment. The Minister said systematic performance targets were set for every telecom circle and state unit, along with continuous monitoring and accountability mechanisms.

A major achievement highlighted by the Minister was the rapid rollout of India's indigenous 4G technology. Dr. Pemmasani stated that BSNL successfully deployed indigenous 4G services across nearly 100,000 towers within a single year, marking a historic milestone for the country's telecom sector.

He said the technology has now reached near-global standards, making India only the fifth country in the world capable of developing such deep indigenous 4G telecom technology independently. The development is being viewed as a major step toward strengthening India's technological self-reliance and reducing dependence on foreign telecom equipment providers.

Addressing concerns related to customer trust and market competition, Dr. Pemmasani acknowledged that rebuilding public confidence would take time but said the company has adopted several innovative outreach strategies.

He pointed out that BSNL tariffs remain significantly cheaper than those offered by private telecom operators. To encourage users to experience improved services, BSNL has introduced One Rupee SIM cards through India Post offices. Postal workers are also being engaged to spread awareness about BSNL's upgraded network and services, particularly in rural and remote areas.

The Minister stressed that BSNL continues to play an irreplaceable role in regions where private telecom operators have limited presence due to difficult terrain or low commercial viability. He noted that in many villages and remote locations, BSNL remains the only reliable telecom provider.

A major focus of the government's telecom expansion strategy has been improving connectivity in remote, tribal and left-wing extremism-affected areas. Dr. Pemmasani said nearly 35,000 villages previously lacked proper telecom connectivity because of geographical challenges, security concerns or low commercial returns.

Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of connecting every village in India, the government has already installed nearly 25,000 telecom towers in such regions, while work on another 10,000 towers is currently underway.

The Minister explained that improved connectivity is not only transforming rural development but is also contributing directly to national security and social stability. He cited examples from regions such as Narayanpur in Chhattisgarh, where improved mobile connectivity has enabled local residents to contact law enforcement and government authorities more effectively.

According to Dr. Pemmasani, the spread of telecom infrastructure in such areas helps reduce isolation, strengthens governance, improves access to services and gradually weakens the influence of left-wing extremism.

Alongside BSNL's revival, the government is also aggressively expanding the BharatNet project, one of the world's largest rural broadband connectivity programmes. Dr. Pemmasani stated that the government is investing nearly ₹1.4 lakh crore to provide high-speed fibre connectivity to every Gram Panchayat across India.

He admitted that earlier phases of BharatNet faced implementation challenges, but said those shortcomings have now been addressed through improved execution models and accountability mechanisms.

Currently, approximately 15 lakh rural households are connected through BharatNet infrastructure, but the government aims to increase this number to 1.5 crore households during the first phase of the expanded rollout.

The Minister added that village-level entrepreneurs are being encouraged to participate actively in expanding last-mile internet connectivity and digital services in rural India.

Dr. Pemmasani emphasized that communication infrastructure is central to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of building a "Viksit Bharat" by 2047. He stated that telecom development is not merely about towers, fibre cables and mobile networks, but about transforming public institutions, empowering citizens and driving inclusive national development.

Summing up his vision for BSNL over the next five years, the Minister expressed confidence that the telecom company will emerge as "trustworthy, proud and profitable."

The ongoing revival of BSNL is increasingly being viewed as a major example of how strategic reforms, indigenous technology development and focused public investment can transform public sector institutions into competitive and nationally significant enterprises in the digital age.