BSNL, MTNL privatization not on cards

NEW DELHI: The government has said that it would not privatize struggling state-run firms BSNL and MTNL, though the intention is to bring them back in good shape.

"The financial health of MTNL and BSNL are not in good shape. There are several reasons for this which I want to discuss in the House in greater detail one day. However, we will make them healthy," Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said while responding to a supplementary during the Question Hour in Rajya Sabha.

Prasad also said that one of the reasons for their downfall could be traced into the way these were "forced to function in those days.”

"We need to improve health of these two companies. There is no attempt to privatise them," he added.

To another question, Prasad said the telecom subscribers base in the country is set to touch one billion mark soon from 97.9 crore as on December-end.

On mobile tariffs, he said: "The rates charged by mobile service providers for various types of calls differ from service area to service area. The rates offered by the same operator in a service area could also be different depending on the traiff plan subscribed by each individual consumer," he said.