New Delhi, July 2: Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Wednesday credited the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government’s strategic revival steps for bringing BSNL back from the brink, saying that the state-run telecom giant, once left on ‘ventilator support’ by the previous UPA government, has now firmly re-established itself in the hearts of Indian consumers.
Speaking exclusive to IANS here on BSNL’s remarkable turnaround, the minister said, “At one point, BSNL was not even on ventilator support but in a critically failing state.” “Prime Minister Modi made a strong resolve to bring BSNL back into full service for the country. Today, we are seeing the result of that commitment,” the Union Minister told IANS.
According to BSNL’s financial data, the company posted a net profit of Rs 280 crore in the January-March quarter (Q4) of FY25, making it the second consecutive profitable quarter after nearly two decades.
This followed a Rs 262 crore profit in the October–December quarter — marking the first profit for the company in 18 years. Scindia credited the turnaround to a mix of government support and the hard work of BSNL employees across the country — from linemen in remote villages to the headquarters team in the national capital.
“Their dedication and tireless efforts have made this possible. BSNL is no longer just surviving — it is thriving,” the Union Minister said. The government had earlier announced multiple financial revival packages for BSNL, amounting to Rs 3 lakh crore, as part of its mission to revive the struggling public sector unit.
Backing this revival has been BSNL’s aggressive push for self-reliant 4G expansion. Scindia said that India’s first fully indigenous 4G network has now been implemented across the country.
“Nearly 95,000 sites have been installed, out of which around 90,000 are commissioned and over 74,000 are already on-air,” the minister explained. “BSNL is now fully prepared to serve customers with a robust, indigenous 4G network. This is not just a revival, it’s a reinvention of BSNL’s role in India’s digital future,” the Union Minister added.
IANS