Union Minister Scindia urges Odisha government to clear Rs 28.54 crore dues to BSNL

Bhubaneswar: Union Minister for Communications Jyotiraditya M. Scindia has written to Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, urging the state government to clear pending dues amounting to Rs 28.54 crore payable to Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL).

In the letter, Scindia said several departments and organisations under the Odisha government have not cleared their outstanding payments to BSNL.

The minister highlighted BSNL’s importance in delivering telecom services across the country, particularly in rural and remote areas. He noted that the public sector telecom operator supports key government departments, including the Armed Forces, and provides connectivity to banks and other institutions. With its extensive network, BSNL continues to play a major role in citizen-centric services, he said.

Scindia also pointed to BSNL’s financial stress and mentioned that the Centre had approved revival packages in 2019, 2022 and 2023 to strengthen BSNL’s viability and competitiveness. However, he stressed that steady cash flow is still essential for day-to-day operations and for modernising telecom infrastructure.

According to the letter, the Secretary of the Department of Telecommunications has already requested early clearance of the dues from the Odisha government. Scindia said timely payment by the state is crucial to ensure secure and reliable telecom services and to maintain service quality.

The Union Minister requested the Chief Minister to issue instructions to all concerned departments and organisations to expedite the settlement of the outstanding dues. He said the state government’s support would help stabilise BSNL financially and enable it to continue providing essential communication services for regional and national development.