Lok Sabha Question No. 3249 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-23
Subject: Decreasing BSNL and MTNL Customer
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Bharatiben Dhirubhai Shyal, Rodmal Nagar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3249 TO BE ANSWERED ON 23 RD  MARCH, 2022

## DECREASING BSNL & MTNL CUSTOMERS

## †3249. DR. BHARATIBEN DHIRUBHAI SHIYAL: SHRI RODMAL NAGAR:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the number of BSNL and MTNL customer are continuously decreasing;
- (b) if so, whether the Government has inquire into the reasons in this regard;
- (c) if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the company-wise and State-wise number of mobile users at present;
- (e) the steps being taken/likely to be taken to increase the number of BSNL customers;
- (f) whether  the  number  of  subscribers  is  not  increasing  in  spite  of  many  efforts  made  by  BSNL/ MTNL; and
- (g) if so, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (g) The mobile subscriber base of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) for the last three years are as follows:

|            | Mobile Subscriber base   | Mobile Subscriber base   |
|------------|--------------------------|--------------------------|
| As on      | BSNL                     | MTNL                     |
| 31.03.2019 | 11,57,42,565             | 34,53,223                |
| 31.03.2020 | 11,98,72,123             | 33,60,187                |
| 31.03.2021 | 11,86,28,482             | 32,96,021                |

The mobile subscriber base of BSNL has not been decreasing continuously in last 3 years. In case of  MTNL, there is slight decrease  due to stiff competition and lack of expansion / up-gradation of its network due to its poor financial condition

To help BSNL and MTNL to remain competitive, the Government approved a revival plan for BSNL on 23.10.2019 which inter-alia included measures to reduce the Staff cost through a Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) for employees of age 50 years and above, administrative allotment of spectrum for providing 4G services with funding through budgetary allocation, monetisation of non-core and core assets to generate resources to retire debt, meet CAPEX and other requirement and debt restructuring by raising of Sovereign Guarantee Bonds.

The Licensed Service Area (LSA) wise details of mobile subscribers of BSNL and MTNL are at Annexure.

Annexure Annexure to reply to part-(d) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3249 for answer on 23.03.2022.

| Mobile Subscribers as on 31.12.2021   | Mobile Subscribers as on 31.12.2021   |
|---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
| Licensed Service Area                 | No of Mobile Subscribers              |
| BSNL                                  | BSNL                                  |
| Andhra Pradesh                        | 92,50,321                             |
| Assam                                 | 31,48,812                             |
| Bihar                                 | 60,55,483                             |
| Gujarat                               | 55,57,094                             |
| Haryana                               | 50,08,936                             |
| Himachal Pradesh                      | 27,31,558                             |
| Jammu &Kashmir                        | 13,14,310                             |
| Karnataka                             | 68,83,854                             |
| Kerala                                | 1,07,13,151                           |
| Kolkata                               | 22,82,912                             |
| Madhya Pradesh                        | 60,16,461                             |
| Maharashtra                           | 66,26,836                             |
| North East                            | 13,55,620                             |
| Odisha                                | 62,30,390                             |
| Punjab                                | 53,40,564                             |
| Rajasthan                             | 63,39,200                             |
| Tamil Nadu                            | 99,48,483                             |
| U.P.(E)                               | 1,11,35,129                           |
| U.P. (W)                              | 57,07,962                             |
| West Bengal                           | 26,59,841                             |
| MTNL                                  | MTNL                                  |
| Delhi                                 | 21,53,573                             |
| Mumbai                                | 11,03,707                             |

****

****