Editorial – APR 2025

‘Blundering’ BSNL-ITI have ensured that the government loses Rs 210 crore in BharatNet Package-13. The government’s loss is gain to private parties – Sterlite and Dilip Buildcon. This package is part of BharatNet Phase-III project, which comprises of 16 packages. BharatNet Package-13 involves J&K, Ladakh, the cost of which was reassessed to Rs 1,488.52 crore by BSNL.

BSNL made this price discovery, courtesy the quotes submitted by ITI Ltd. However, ITI submissions were thrown out due to its blundering ways of its PDF document not matching its XL sheet, which itself had more blunders in stating GST levies twice. In this theatre of the absurd, ITI Ltd pointed out its mistakes orally to BSNL-CMD, it did not file any representation.

The next bid was of Sterlite Technologies Ltd. It had quoted Rs 1,625.36 Cr towards capex. The ITI bid had been declared invalid and Sterlite was pronounced L1. The BSNL tender evaluation committee recommended the price negotiation be held with them keeping in mind the price discovered in the bid submitted by ITI. This was thrown aside and Sterlite was awarded at much enhanced rates contrary to the price discovery and its own assessed cost for the project. Read our cover story for the sequential narrative and details of price comparisons and evaluations.

While BSNL is gratuitous in awarding benefits to private parties, its own performance is matchless in a race to the bottom. Sample this stat: Reliance Jio led the chart with highest AGR payment of Rs 28,543 cr, Bharti Airtel posted AGR of Rs 26,074 cr, Vodafone Idea was at Rs 7,958 cr, BSNL is at Rs 2,292 cr. BSNL subscribers are porting out and BSNL Employees Unions have planned a nearly two-month protest against delays in rollout of 4G and 5G services, lacklustre fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) and enterprise business performance.