A standing committee on telecom said that PSU BSNL may post loss of Rs 3,641 crore in the fiscal year 2009-10. According to the Committee the loss is mainly due to potential incidence of payment of arrears amounting to Rs 3,600 crore to non-executive employees with effect from July 2007.

Apart from this, the reduction in mobile voice tariffs will also factor in the PSU’s downfall said the committee.

The Committee also rejected BSNL’s reasoning that non-finalisation of orders, non-timely supply of equipment, reducing tariffs in a highly competitive market, sharp reduction in landline revenue, and stoppage of licence fee reimbursement were the causes for the PSU’s financial downfall. The Committee said that private operators too functioned under same conditions.

The standing Committee also expressed regret that despite a headstart in 3G spectrum and services, it has not been able to garner customers well.

“When private players are endlessly waiting for spectrum, BSNL has been given 3G spectrum much earlier.. the PSU could have easily overtaken the private service providers by taking advantage of this opportunity. But this has not happened”, it said.