Don't want to be known as 'call drop minister': Prasad

Asserting that there is a need for the telecom service operators to ramp up networks to improve service quality, Communications Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Tuesday said he does not wish to be known as "call drop minister".

"I regret to say very frankly it took a lot of nudging on my part to all of you to publicly acknowledge that there is need for improvement... spectrum is less but you need to improve network. I am sorry, I don't want to be known as call drop minister, sorry, I am very clear," he said at the second edition of Ericsson's 'Broadband for All' Summit, organized in partnership with the Swedish Embassy and Cellular Operators' Association of India.

"The government is accountable to peoples convenience, the operators must rise to the occasion to reinforce their networks where infrastructure is lacking, operators must invest," he added.

Referring to Bharti Entreprises chairman Sunil Mittal's address earlier in the event, Prasad said: "I am complimenting you for Rs.60,000 crore, they must be used very quickly...and I would hold you for your larger commitment that you said on July in the presence of prime minister (Narendra Modi) that you will invest Rs.80,000 crore. I hope you remember that."

On Monday, Bharti Airtel announced an investment of Rs.60,000 crore which will go into capital expenditure on fibre, cables and changing older networks.

"This year is the largest capex year for Airtel, we will be spending about Rs.16,000 crore on network," Mittal added.