The Government approved a revival plan for Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) on 23.10.2019.The revival plan inter-alia includes measures to reduce the Staff cost through a Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) for employees of age 50 years and above, administrative allotment of spectrum for providing 4G services with funding through budgetary allocation, monetisation of non-core and core assets to generate resources to retire debt, meet CAPEX and other requirement and debt restructuring by raising of Sovereign Guarantee Bonds.

It has also been approved to administratively allot spectrum to BSNL and MTNL for providing 5G services on the same principles as followed for 4G. BSNL and MTNL would rollout 4G and 5G services based on techno-commercial considerations.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Communications, Shri Devusinh Chauhan in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.

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RKJ/M