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Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has announced a further 25 per cent reduction in the BSNL's leased line tariff. The present cut in the tariff is in furtherance of reduction already made w.e.f. 1st May, 2005. BSNL has also reduced the tariff in the ISD call rates from Rs. 18/- per minute to Rs. 12/- per minute from 0000 hrs of 21st May, 2005, calls made to the countries of Australia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Africa, Gulf countries and the SAARC countries (except Sri Lanka to which the reduced tariff is already available). These rates will be applicable from PSTN as well as Cellular Network of BSNL. The highest ISD tariff to any part of the world from BSNL network will be Rs. 12/- per minute. The reductions will be applicable in 74 major cities. These announcements came at the function, here today, in which Shri Dayanidhi Maran, Minister of Communications & Information Technology presented the Bharat Sanchar National Awards 2004-05 to the employees whose performance were meritorious and exemplary, in the presence of Dr. Shakeel Ahmad, Minister of State for Communications & Information Technology. The function was attended by senior officers of DoT, BSNL and MTNL.
On this occasion Shri Maran released two sets of Commemorative Coins in the denominations of Rs. 100 and Rs. 2 to mark the completion of 150 years Telecommunications in India. Today's events also coincided with the World Telecommunications Day being observed by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). It was 140 years ago the birth of ITU took place. On 17 May 1865, the first International Telegraph Convention was signed in Paris by the 20 founding members, and the International Telegraph Union (ITU) was established to facilitate subsequent amendments to this initial agreement. India has been the member of ITU since the year 1869. Presently ITU has 189 member states.
Speaking on the occasion Shri Maran said that technology and competition are the key drivers for growth in the present day world context, in which BSNL has to compete in the telecom market on its own strength. Further BSNL has to embark upon many strategies to overcome this competition. Sanchar Doot awards serve as a tool to encourage excellence in performance.
Ratifying the President's quotation, telecom as one of the six elements crucial for national development, Shri Maran said that Indian telecom network is one amongst the largest and the fastest growing network in the world with more than 100 million telephone customers. He recalled that the way of functioning of both BSNL and MTNL has changed to a great extent with the opening of telecom sector to private operators. Telecom sector is now seen as a monopoly-free zone. These PSUs have to stand and face the competition and rise to the levels of expectations of the consumers, he said. For this, these corporate personnel have to update their skills technologically and change their attitudes to a better environment. The Minister expressed full confidence that the management and staff of two PSUs to rise to the occasion.
Dr. Shakeel Ahmad also spoke on the occasion and congratulated all the Prize winning meritorious employees. Shri Brijesh Mishra, Secretary, Telecom and Shri A.K. Sinha, Chairman BSNL also spoke.
RM/AMA- 170505 Bharat Sanchar Doot Awards
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