Lok Sabha Question No. 2863 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-15
Subject: Loss of Subscriber base
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: P. Velusamy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2863 TO BE ANSWERED ON 15 TH  DECEMBER, 2021

## LOSS OF SUBSCRIBER BASE

## 2863.   SHRI VELUSAMY P.:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  received  any  report  from  Bharat  Sanchar  Nigam  Limited (BSNL) regarding the loss of subscriber base for the last financial year;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  specific  number  of  loss  of  subscribers,  State-wise  with break up figure of wireless and wireline services;
- (c) the steps taken by the Government to increase the subscriber base;
- (d) the amount spent by BSNL for upgradation of their services for the past three years and the estimated amount for the current year; and
- (e) whether the Government is having any proposal to merge BSNL and MTNL and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS (SHRI DEVUSINH CHAUHAN)

(a) & (b) The details of landline and mobile connections of BSNL during the last two years are at Annexure-I.

(c) BSNL augments its network based on techno-commercial considerations. It has rationalized its  tariff  plans  and  tied  up  with  different  channel  partners  to  improve  the  services  and  increase  its subscriber base. The Government on 23.10.2019 approved the revival plan of BSNL which inter-alia includes  administrative  allotment  of  spectrum  for  4G  services  through  capital  infusion  by  the Government into BSNL/MTNL. BSNL is in the process of deployment of indigenous 4G technology through Proof of Concept route under Atma-nirbhar initiative of the Government of India.

- (d) The details  of  expenditure    by  BSNL  for  upgradation  of  their  mobile  services  for  the  past three years and the estimated amount for the current year are as follows:

| Financial Year   | Expenditure / Estimate (in Rs crore)   |
|------------------|----------------------------------------|
| 2018-2019        | 8,057                                  |
| 2019-2020        | 1,786                                  |
| 2020-2021        | 608                                    |
| 2021-2022        | 2,000                                  |

(e) The Government earlier in its cabinet meeting dated 23.10.2019 approved in-principle approval for merger of BSNL and MTNL. However due to financial reasons including high debt of MTNL, the merger  of  MTNL  with  BSNL  is  deferred.  However,  close  co-operation  and  service  integration between BSNL and MTNL has been undertaken.

Annexure-I Annexure to part-(b) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2863 for 15.12.2021

| Details of landline and mobile connections of BSNL   | Details of landline and mobile connections of BSNL   | Details of landline and mobile connections of BSNL   | Details of landline and mobile connections of BSNL   | Details of landline and mobile connections of BSNL   |
|------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|
| Circle/State                                         | Landline                                             | Landline                                             | Mobile                                               | Mobile                                               |
|                                                      | 2019-20                                              | 2020-21                                              | 2019-20                                              | 2020-21                                              |
| ANDAMAN/NICOBAR                                      | 16,570                                               | 16,306                                               | 2,27,695                                             | 2,51,488                                             |
| ANDHRA PRADESH                                       | 4,25,528                                             | 3,18,023                                             | 67,84,672                                            | 66,31,363                                            |
| ASSAM                                                | 95,015                                               | 82,206                                               | 28,09,624                                            | 30,33,066                                            |
| BIHAR                                                | 86,643                                               | 74,458                                               | 40,98,777                                            | 42,05,523                                            |
| CHHATTISGARH                                         | 1,14,261                                             | 53,263                                               | 21,82,121                                            | 21,74,854                                            |
| GUJARAT                                              | 6,43,726                                             | 4,66,470                                             | 61,03,193                                            | 59,06,595                                            |
| HARYANA                                              | 1,75,363                                             | 1,27,004                                             | 50,03,797                                            | 50,55,231                                            |
| HIMACHAL PRADESH                                     | 94,579                                               | 75,707                                               | 29,91,601                                            | 30,21,606                                            |
| JAMMU &KASHMIR                                       | 1,20,470                                             | 87,435                                               | 12,57,282                                            | 12,70,192                                            |
| JHARKHAND                                            | 59,679                                               | 55,950                                               | 15,29,549                                            | 16,40,234                                            |
| KARNATAKA                                            | 8,63,720                                             | 7,21,542                                             | 73,18,035                                            | 72,14,006                                            |
| KERALA                                               | 14,45,592                                            | 10,33,144                                            | 1,09,44,293                                          | 1,09,12,516                                          |
| MADHYA PRADESH                                       | 2,44,156                                             | 2,01,846                                             | 41,86,829                                            | 41,36,021                                            |
| MAHARASHTRA                                          | 8,77,812                                             | 7,37,346                                             | 70,51,528                                            | 68,24,196                                            |
| NORTH EAST                                           | 90,954                                               | 67,455                                               | 14,22,530                                            | 13,70,848                                            |
| ODISHA                                               | 1,85,731                                             | 1,48,145                                             | 62,27,956                                            | 64,76,145                                            |
| PUNJAB                                               | 3,14,234                                             | 2,27,116                                             | 57,79,360                                            | 57,59,876                                            |
| RAJASTHAN                                            | 3,56,233                                             | 2,46,388                                             | 62,73,913                                            | 63,98,967                                            |
| TAMILNADU                                            | 7,21,659                                             | 5,11,388                                             | 1,02,49,709                                          | 86,53,347                                            |
| UTTARAKHAND                                          | 73,173                                               | 49,121                                               | 15,31,499                                            | 14,36,975                                            |
| UTTAR PRADESH                                        | 4,14,600                                             | 2,58,617                                             | 1,61,26,733                                          | 1,59,19,954                                          |
| WEST BENGAL                                          | 5,35,279                                             | 5,00,879                                             | 42,39,581                                            | 48,36,150                                            |
| CHENNAI                                              | 4,43,546                                             | 3,45,882                                             | 23,54,820                                            | 22,01,075                                            |
| TELANGANA                                            | 3,28,580                                             | 2,43,748                                             | 30,95,804                                            | 30,55,065                                            |

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