In a significant stride toward the government’s asset monetisation initiative, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), a state-owned entity, has unveiled 27 land parcels spanning 11 states and Union Territories for sale.
These parcels encompass various properties such as telephone exchanges, vacant plots, administrative buildings, and staff quarters compounds. They are scattered across Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. BSNL initiated the auction process for these parcels via e-tender, followed by e-auction, issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) on May 16, 2024. Subsequently, a pre-bid virtual meeting for all the land parcels is scheduled for June 3, 2024. The collective reserve price for these 27 parcels stands at Rs 476 crore.
Additionally, BSNL has compiled a catalog of over 500 land parcels and buildings across various states, slated for sale in the near future, according to a source. The total area of these properties amounts to approximately 1 crore square meters. Meanwhile, Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL), another state-owned telecom operator, has outlined properties for sale in Delhi and Mumbai. This initiative coincides with a directive from Union Telecom Secretary Neeraj Mittal, who urged all ministries and government departments to prompt Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and affiliated organizations to leverage the “outright” sale of BSNL properties.
Mittal, in a letter dated May 21, referenced the Union Cabinet’s 2019 approval of the revival plan for BSNL/MTNL, which includes the monetisation of surplus land and building assets. “BSNL has an extensive asset base nationwide, and MTNL possesses properties in prime locations in Delhi and Mumbai,” Mittal stated. He highlighted the dedicated website developed to list all BSNL/MTNL properties available for sale, urging wide dissemination of the website across departments, PSUs, and organizations under various ministries. This, he emphasized, would facilitate government entities requiring such properties to benefit from the direct sale scheme from PSU to government organizations.