BSNL is slowly returning to the mainstream of the telecom industry once again. The reason for saying this is that BSNL's debt in FY 2024 was much lower than that of private telecom operators. the same…
BSNL is slowly returning to the mainstream of the telecom industry once again. The reason for saying this is that BSNL's debt in FY 2024 was much lower than that of private telecom operators. At the same time, the company has been able to increase revenue over the past few years, while net losses have also come down significantly.
Although BSNL is yet to launch 4G, its balance sheet now has the least amount of debt compared to private telecom operators. In a written statement in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Communications Prem Masani Chandra Shekhar said that BSNL's debt was Tk 40,400 crore and Tk 28,092 crore in FY 2022 and 2023 respectively. There, the amount of debt has reduced to 23,297 crores in the financial year 2024.
Compared to that, the debt amount of other telecom operators is much higher. Namely, Bharti Airtel's debt in the current financial year is Tk 1.26 lakh crore, Vodafone Idea's loan is Tk 2.07 lakh crore and Jio Infocomm's loan is Tk 52,740 crore.
However, from FY2020 to FY2024, BSNL has received a total of 3 revival packages from the government. Of this, BSNL received Tk 69,000 crore in 2019, Tk 1.64 lakh crore in 2022 and Tk 89,000 crore in 2023. Incidentally, the government has also allotted 4G and 5G spectrum to this state-run telco as part of its revival package.
Also, BSNL has been advised by the government to raise funds by monetizing land parcels and buildings. Government of India expects BSNL to reach a stable position and become a profitable company by FY 2027. Because, in 2019, where the net loss of BSNL was Tk 15,500 crore, this net loss has reduced to Tk 5,371 crore in FY 2024. At the same time the company's EBITDA is increasing every year. And the company is hoping that in the coming days, when their 4G and 5G networks are launched, their losses will reduce further.
