With the change of Guards in Indian IT and Communications Ministry, the fate of Largest GSM Tender now hangs in Balance.
A. Raja, IT and Communications Minister wants to renegotiate with Ericsson and Nokia-Siemens Networks the winners of the BSNL tender. Both the companies turned down Mr. Raja’s requests. A. Raja has questioned to BSNL and DOT the disqualification of Motorola in bidding process.
A.Raja, asked why BSNL should pay Rs 4,940 / line to Ericsson when MTNL is getting 2G Networks deployed at a cost of mere Rs 2,845. A. Raja has also briefed the Prime Minister on this issue. If BSNL/ DoT and the Government wants to go ahead with existing tender, then, Raja wants atleast 3G networks out of the tender as the policy is still under finalization.
What does this mean to Readers Outside India ?
BSNL is a state owned and managed company with huge and inefficient workforce. BSNL was the only telecom service provider in India a decade ago and today its market share is falling everyday. Politicians and Bureaucrats of India have a say in every BSNL tender and their is no transparency in those deals. With questions raised from A.Raja, does it mean, former IT Minister Dayanidhi Maran received any kickbacks ? Why A.Raja wants 3G dropped ? Does he want to invite Fresh tenders at least for 3G and get some kickbacks before he is out of power ?
