BSNL, MTNL revival on cards: Amit Shah-led GoM may allow VRS, 4G spectrum

NEW DELHI: The Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by home minister Amit Shah Tuesday discussed offering voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) and the fourth-generation or 4G airwaves to the stressed state-controlled Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) Tuesday.

Besides Shah, GoM included telecom, IT and law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

The sources aware of the development said that the group during the two-hour-long meeting discussed the ways to bring back the two public sector service providers back to health and considered monetisation of land and building assets to fund VRS to the willing employees.

Earlier, the Finance Ministry officials have opposed the VRS package worth Rs 6,365 crore to BSNL, and Rs 2,120 crore to MTNL.