The government on Tuesday pegged the outlay for department of telecommunications at Rs 11,660 crore (Rs 116.60 billion) during 2004-05, of which as much as 76 per cent or Rs 8,808 crore (Rs 88.08 billion) has been earmarked for Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd.
"The outlay for DoT is Rs 11,660 crore, comprising Rs 175 crore (Rs 1.75 billion) of budgetary support and Rs 11,485 crore (Rs 114.85 billion) of internal and extra budgetary resources -- Indian Telephone Industries [Rs 120 crore (Rs 1.20 billion)], Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd [Rs 2,557 crore (Rs 25.57 billion)] and BSNL (Rs 8808 crore)," according to the Interim Budget tabled in Parliament by Finance Minister Jaswant Singh.
The outlay for postal services has been pegged at Rs 200 crore (Rs 2 billion) and the major focus of plan activities is on induction of technology.
Of this, a major project is the total computerisation and networking of all head post offices and key accounts and administrative offices for an outlay of Rs 140 crore (Rs 1.40 billion).
Other important projects include computerisation of mail offices, promotion of business development activities, training, construction of operative and administrative buildings and preservation of heritage buildings.
Also, about 100 extra-departmental branch offices and 20 departmental sub post offices are proposed to be opened to increase access to postal services.
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