State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is targeting Rs 8,000 crore through the monetisation of its land and property assets in the current financial year, with the proceeds earmarked for capital expenditure (capex), a senior Department of Telecommunications (DoT) official said.
"The talks to sell properties worth Rs 3,000 crore are going well, and discussions for other properties and flats are also progressing. I am sure the company will be able to achieve the target,” said the official.
BSNL has a large asset base spread across the country, while Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) owns prime properties in Delhi and Mumbai. According to the official, the monetisation target includes a prime property in Mumbai as well as BSNL residential flats in the city, which have attracted interest from the Income Tax Department.
The official, however, acknowledged that there are procedural challenges, particularly those related to land ownership and title clearances. The complexity arises because the land parcels are located across different states and require multiple approvals before they can be monetised.
Meanwhile, the telecom operator reported a net loss of Rs 1,269 crore in the fourth quarter of FY26, compared with a profit of Rs 280 crore in the corresponding quarter last year. For the full financial year FY26, BSNL's net loss widened to Rs 4,738 crore from Rs 2,247 crore in FY25.
Revenue from operations rose 1.7 per cent year-on-year to Rs 21,199 crore, falling short of the government's target of Rs 28,476 crore. Higher network operating expenses, employee costs, depreciation and finance charges weighed on the company's profitability.
Despite expanding its indigenous 4G network and launching promotional tariff plans, BSNL continues to face challenges in improving subscriber retention and strengthening its financial performance.