Monetisation of BSNL’s towers and fibre, is a dangerous move by the government.

In the Revival Package for BSNL and MTNL, announced by the government on 23.10.2019, it is mentioned that monetisation of assets will be done, to meet the expenditures for network expansion, repayment of debt, operational fund requirements, etc. We understood that monetisation of assets means it will be limited to BSNL’s surplus lands. However, in the meeting held in the PMO on 03rd July, 2020, under the chairmanship of the Principal Advisor to the Prime Minister, serious discussions have  taken place regarding the monetisation of BSNL’s towers and fibres. The meeting has decided that within 3 months, the DoT should come up with various options to monetise BSNL’s tower and fibre assets.

This is a very dangerous move by the government. At a time when Reliance Jio is moving aggressively to monopolise the telecom sector, the government may be thinking to hand over BSNL’s towers and fibres to Mukesh Ambani, in the name of monetising BSNL’s land and assets. 

The All India Centre meeting of BSNLEU, held on line on 20.07.2020, has called upon the CHQ of BSNLEU to take up the issue seriously through the platform of AUAB, so as to stop BSNL’s towers and fibres being snatched away.