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BSNL is the government company providing telecom services all over India, except in the metropolitan cities of Delhi and Mumbai where the services are provided by another government company MTNL. BSNL and MTNL are the continuation of the Department of P&T, and later Department of Telecom, which provided telegraph and telecom services since their introduction in India.
As per the neo-liberalisation policy being aggressively implemented by the Central Government, private companies were allowed to provide telecom services in the 1990s. At the same time, the government started moves, one after another, which resulted first in corporatisation and then in weakening of the new PSU, BSNL.
India is a country having lakhs of villages and rural areas, where the private companies are not much interested in providing services, since most of them are loss making. BSNL, which is committed to implement the universal service obligation of the government, is providing services in these areas. Naturally BSNL is suffering huge losses. In the crucial border areas, naxal affected areas etc. it is only BSNL, which provides services facing severe risks. BSNL and MTNL keep the tariff low despite severe competition.
The existence and growth of BSNL and MTNL is a must for the growth of the country and its security. The government has to realise this and ensure that BSNL and MTNL are helped to tide over the present crisis. It has to honour its financial commitments which it has given at the time of corporatisation.
The workers have to sincerely continue their maximum efforts to improve the services. Management has to become efficient to plan its programmes and implement effectively.
All out efforts are required from all stake-holders to revitalise and strengthen BSNL and MTNL.
VAN Namboodiri's Blog 
It is learnt from media reports that the security departments of the central government firmly hold that there should be continuous presence of public sector in telecom service sector. Because, in emergency situation, government will depend only on public sector for telecom services – not on the private telecom service providers. When this is the requirement, government is duty bound to play its due role to ensure not only sustenance but sustenance with good health of the concerned Public Sector Telecom Enterprises viz. BSNL, MTNL & ITI during peace time also.
It is really true that a large country like India needs a strong PSU like BSNL/MTNL
In the first instance, to create and help private operators, BSNL/MTNL was carved out of DOT in the name of level playing field. Later, when foreign funds started coming through private players for the greed of politicians, they started playing crude game of weakening BSNL/MTNL by hindering its growth by cancelling tenders/ non supply of essential materials like cables/phone instruments/modems/etc….. after calling huge tenders and thereby slowing the process of procurement and getting bad Goodwill for BSNL/MTNLs service to public.
It is surprising, whether our politicians are working for private operators or for the security and stability of the country and BSNL. In the first place, instead of creating BSNL, they should have closed DOT to help private /foreign players and employees of DOT should have been absorbed in other departments. Government, because of its policies are closing down many PSUs like ITI, BALCO, VSNL, etc…. and are playing dirty politics.
Now, they have started blaming BSNL/MTNL employees are responsible for the sorry state of affairs without knowing that they are the root cause for this mismanagement. If BSNL has to be revitalised, it should have new inputs like new young employment, new development inputs, Proper planning and management and effective use of its resources. It is for sure, that, all PVT operators are here in India for making money in what ever means they can. From now on they start eating small players for their survival and one or two players will become monopolistic characters.
It is time BSNL management should exploit this and plan and provide best of services, if it has to live in this cut-throat competition by private operators.
If BSNL is weakened, it is not only weakening Social security of the nation. It will leave 2.25 Lakh employees without bread and their dependents, which may be around 10 Lakhs.
GOM constituted for the revival should think in right earnest. Introducing VRS on lent money and removing 1,00,000 odd employees is not the answer. Instead,
1) Give more autonomy to BSNL/MTN
2) Bring in new tallent by providing job opportunities
3) Develop better in-house research in managing the company
4) Avoid, wasteful expenditures like, BCC/HCL’S-ERP /
5) Provide better product environment for consumers
6) Use the man power fully. Avoid under-utilisation and non-utilization of man power.
7) Plan and procure best equipments Indoor/Outdoor and optimize resources
8) introducing VRS/Early retirement is not the answer for revival unless you bring
new talents and job opportunities in the establishment.
keshavblore@yahoo.com
Dear Comrade Keshav, Thank you for valuable suggestions