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Record growth in BSNL teledensity in Tamil Nadu

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI May 17. The Bharat Sanchar Nigam achieved a record 11 per cent growth in teledensity in the Tamil Nadu Circle during 2001, the Union Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology, S. Thirunavukkarasar, said here today.

This against a 15 per cent growth target set for the Tenth Plan.

The Minister was presenting a total of 40 Bharat Sanchar Shree Awards and Vishisht Sanchar Seva Padak for 2003 for Chennai Telephones, Tamil Nadu Telecom Circle, Southern Telecom Region and Southern Telecom Projects.

The award comprised a medallion, a commendation certificate and a cash prize.

Mr. Thirunavukarasar commended the BSNL officers and staff for achieving a creditable growth in effecting both landline connections and cellular links at a time when the Indian telephone industry was celebrating its 150th year in service. "Despite stiff competition, the BSNL has provided 4.5 crore links nationwide and 2 crore cellular connections." From a modest beginning, the country now had a total of 36,000 telephone exchanges `connecting people' (now the BSNL's slogan).

The Minister also honoured the seniormost living and retired telecom officials.

Presiding, R.N. Srinivasan, Chief General Manager, Southern Telecom Region, said there had been a phenomenal growth in the BSNL market share (already 20 per cent within five months), at a time when private cellular phone operators were engaged in expansion.

K. Mahadevan, CGM, Tamil Nadu Telecom Circle, said pricing and quality of operations counted more in this highly competitive telecom industry.

S.S. Iyer, CGM, Chennai Telephones, outlined the recent "customer-friendly" and other value- added initiatives, which would include entertainment services and better high-speed Internet bandwidth.

The CGM, Southern Telecom Projects, M. Ramachandran, said that if only the Telecommunications Ministry offered a level playing field, the BSNL entity would retain its market leader position.

A.K. Purwar, CGM, National Centre for Electronic Switching, G. Selvam, General Manager (North), Chennai Telephones, and G. Ravi, General Manager (Finance), Tamil Nadu Circle, spoke.

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