The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : BSNL to invest 1,200 crores on expansion of facilities

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 25, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

BSNL to invest 1,200 crores on expansion of facilities

By Our Staff Reporter

NELLORE, JUNE 24. The Chief General Manager, Andhra Pradesh Telecom Circle, Hyderabad, Sanjaya Kumar, said that the circle is contemplating huge investments to provide an additional 12 lakh mobile connections during this financial year.

He said here on Thursday that BSNL plans to invest about Rs. 1,200 crores out of which an amount of Rs. 400 crores would be to expand facilities in cellular, WLL and CDMA areas. The expansion is already in progress, making it more aggressive in the coming days. The CGM informed that it was the aim of the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) to provide connectivity to subscribers on all routes, be it railways or airports, besides catering to tourist potential. On the impact of competition from private players, Mr. Sanjaya Kumar claimed that service by BSNL is most cost-effective. Also it did not have roaming and other charges. With regard to international roaming however, the facility would be provided at a minor cost to enable the subscriber to enjoy the benefit while on the move.

The CGM said the main aim of the BSNL is to provide telecom facility to people in rural and interior areas, so that they can have better communication. He stressed the need to expand the existing facilities, as the density of telephone facility was only 4.7 per cent per 100 of population. "This percentage has to go up to meet the coming challenges," said the CGM. If the present phase of facilities is completed, the existing facilities are likely to double, he informed. According to him, BSNL was the biggest organisation in the Asia Pacific region, while it was the sixth biggest in the world.

The CGM who arrived here on a day's visit, went round several installations in the town. He was accompanied by the General Manager, G. Gopi, Deputy GM, Venkateswara Rao, and other officials. He also held a meeting of officers and reviewed the performance. In the evening, he presented Bharat Sanchar Sarathi and Sanchar Seva Padak awards to 15 employees/officers at a glittering function.

The following persons received the awards.

B. Ramanjaiah, TM, Varikuntapadu, Y. Nageswara Rao, STS, Nellore, N. Jayaprakash Rao, Technical Superintendent, OCB, Nellore, A.V. Merisa, Senior TOA, commercial section, Nellore, K. Balasubramanyam, TM, Nellore, V. Lakshmikantamma, TS (O), commercial section, Nellore, M. Ravindra Babu, TTA, Nellore, T. Ramaiah, SS (O), Gudur, R. Benny, Batteryman, OCB, Nellore, M.V. Ramana Babu, JTO (G), Kavali, T. Nageswara Rao, SDE (Works), Nellore, A. Venkateswara Rao, DGM (OP), Nellore, G. Ravi, JTO, Installation, Nellore, S. Varalakshmi, AO (TR), Nellore and K. Parandamaiah, DE (Planning), Nellore. Each of them was presented with a memento, medal, shawl besides a cash award of Rs. 11,000/-.

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