Committee will Decide on BSNL and MTNL Assets in Mumbai, Says Jyotiraditya Scindia
Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia announced on Tuesday that a committee comprising government officials will be formed to make decisions regarding the assets of public sector telecom companies, Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), in Mumbai.
The committee will include officials from the state urban development department, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), and the central government’s telecommunications department. Scindia stated in a release that the committee’s report will be submitted within four weeks.
There is a news that the government is planning to monetise land owned by BSNL and MTNL. The value of these lands is estimated to be Rs 1000 crore.
In the Union Budget 2025-26, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the launch of the second asset monetisation plan for the period 2025-30. The plan aims to generate Rs 10 lakh crore by monetising government-owned assets and reinvesting the funds into new infrastructure projects.
The government is moving forward with a plan to speed up the monetisation of land assets from various Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs), according to sources.
The Ministry of Finance has devised a new strategy to accelerate the land asset monetisation process. As part of the plan, the government has instructed the National Land Asset Monetisation Corporation (NLMC) to expedite the procedure.
NLMC will serve as an advisory body, assisting other government entities and CPSEs in monetising their non-core assets effectively and professionally. The corporation has been tasked with completing the monetisation process within a specified timeline.
This new plan builds upon the success of the first asset monetisation initiative launched in 2021, which identified Rs 6 lakh crore worth of assets for monetisation. The goal is to use the capital raised to fund vital infrastructure development across the country.
The Minister of Communications attended a meeting at Sahyadri Guest House, focusing on BSNL’s assets in Mumbai and the broader communication infrastructure in Maharashtra. The discussion covered various aspects, including the assets of BSNL and MTNL, the construction of mobile towers, and the implementation of the BharatNet programme.
Prominent attendees included Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik, Union Telecom Secretary Neeraj Kumar, and BSNL’s Managing Director Robert Ravi.
Scindia highlighted that the BharatNet project is aimed at establishing high-speed communication systems for every gram panchayat in the country. He acknowledged Maharashtra’s progress in the first phase of the project and emphasized the need for further expansion under Phase II.
Under Phase II of BharatNet, the government aims to extend broadband connectivity to all remaining gram panchayats in Maharashtra. Additionally, Scindia revealed that as part of the initiative, one lakh 4G network towers will be installed across the country to enhance connectivity.
