BSNL fails to achieve targets set for last fiscal

Company was given a target of providing 80 lakh new connections in 2013-14 but instead lost 61.05 lakh connections

State-run BSNL failed to achieve any of its targets, including addition in mobile connections, broadband capacity and new GSM lines, in the last financial year, a government document showed.

BSNL was given a target of providing 80 lakh new mobile phone connections in 2013-14 but instead the state-run firm lost 61.05 lakh connections.

Similarly, addition of GSM capacity at 41.58 lakh lines in 2013-14 was way behind the target of 90 lakh lines. The company did not add a single port in broadband capacity against the target of adding 16.1 lakh ports, the Outcome Budget 2014-15 said.

BSNL added 14,388 route kilometer (RKM) of optical fibre during 2013-14 against the target of 20,000 RKM and was able to add just 83,000 broadband connections against a target of 30 lakh.

For the year 2014-15 (Budget estimate), BSNL has been given a target of adding 100 lakh lines in GSM capacity, 100 lakh mobile connections, 30 lakh broadband connections and 20,000 RKM of optical fibre.

The capital outlay for the year BE 2014-15 is Rs 5,132.19 crore.

The state-run firm had introduced GSM-based cellular mobile service from October 2002 and has provided 9.24 crore GSM connections till March 31, 2014. 3G services were launched in February 2009 in selected cities and the same is available in 1982 cities as on March 31, 2014.

Besides, BSNL had launched broadband services in January 2005 and has provided 99.65 lakh wireline broadband connections as on March 31, 2014.