New Delhi:The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the third revival package for BSNL with a total outlay of Rs 89,047 crore, primarily for expenses related to spectrum for 4G and 5G services, Telecom and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said.
With the third and last revival package, the total financial support extended to BSNL has crossed Rs 3.22 lakh crore. Vaishnaw said that the time has come when BSNL should be in the league of the major players. "It should become a player, which should bring connectivity in the places where normal commercial consideration companies will not be able to go. It should be able to provide digital India services to the weakest of weak sections. With that thought process, today the Cabinet approved a package of Rs 89,047 crore primarily for spectrum-related items," he said.
Also, the authorised capital of BSNL will be increased from Rs 1,50,000 crore to Rs 2,10,000 crore. The package comprises allotment of premium wireless frequencies 700 MHz band spectrum worth Rs 46,338.6 crore; 70 MHz of frequencies in the 3300 MHz band worth Rs 26,184.2 crore; frequencies in the 26 GHz band worth Rs 6,564.93 crore; in the 2500 MHz band worth Rs 9,428.2 crore and Rs 531.89 crore for miscellaneous items.
The spectrum allocation will enable BSNL to roll out pan-India 4G and 5G services, 4G coverage in rural and uncovered villages under various connectivity projects, provide Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) services for high-speed internet and provide services/spectrum for Captive Non-Public Network (CNPN). BSNL has already awarded a tender worth Rs 19,000 crore for rolling out over 1.2 lakh mobile towers for 4G and 5G to a consortium led by IT major Tata Consultancy Service and state-owned technology development organisation Centre for Development of Telematics (CDoT).