Will Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia be able to revive BSNL?

Will Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia be able to revive BSNL?

The last decade has seen many major changes in the Indian telecom sector. This sector, which has become competitive with many players in the field, is now dominated by two companies, Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel. The previous Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnav paid special attention to the expansion of 5G, which aims to provide the best experience to the users.

And, concrete steps were taken towards passing the Telecom Act. Jyotiraditya Scindia, who has been given this responsibility in Modi 3.0, will have to take this forward. Apart from the previous government, he has a lot of experience in handling high-profile ministries during the UPA regime as well. The spectrum auction to be held on June 25 is one of his priorities.

What needs to be done

Reviving BSNL – State-run BSNL reportedly lost 1.8 crore subscribers in FY24 and was left with only 8.81 crore subscribers by March. The company’s consolidated loss stood at Rs 1,569 crore in the third quarter of FY24. The central government has already infused Rs 3.2 lakh crore in BSNL through a revival package.

Northeast a priority – Connectivity in the north-eastern region is likely to get a boost as Scindia is also the minister for the northeastern region.

Revival of BharatNet BharatNet, one of the world’s largest telecom projects, aims to enhance connectivity in rural areas but has been facing challenges since its inception.

Telecom Act – The Telecom Act 2023 will bring fundamental changes to regulatory protocols, including strict requirements for user verification. It has been criticised for giving the government undue power to shut down the internet and put encryption or messages at risk.

Who is responsible for this?

Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, 53 years: BJP
Union Minister for Communications

Strong Grip – Scindia, who won a landslide victory from his family stronghold in Guna, Madhya Pradesh, has made his strong presence felt within the BJP after leaving the Congress in 2020. Jyotiraditya, son of late Congress leader and Union minister Madhavrao Scindia, is also handling the responsibility of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER).

state Minister
Chandra Shekhar Pemmasani, 48 years: TDP

Rich Assamese – Pemmasani, a doctor by profession, has declared his total assets to be Rs 5,705 crore (the richest candidate in this election). Pemmasani, who became an MP for the first time, represents Guntur in Andhra Pradesh.

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