Govt Loses ₹1,757 Crore as BSNL Fails to Bill Reliance Jio: CAG Report

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India reported on April 1, 2025, that the government suffered a loss of ₹1,757.56 crore after Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) failed to bill Reliance Jio for infrastructure sharing over a decade.

10 Years of Unbilled Services

BSNL did not enforce its Master Service Agreement (MSA) with Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd (RJIL) and failed to charge for additional technology used on its shared passive infrastructure. This resulted in revenue losses of ₹1,757.56 crore, including penal interest, from May 2014 to March 2024.

More Revenue Losses

The CAG report also pointed out that BSNL lost another ₹38.36 crore by not deducting its share of the license fee from payments made to Telecom Infrastructure Providers (TIPs). Additionally, the company underbilled Reliance Jio for infrastructure sharing charges, leading to a further loss of ₹29 crore (including GST).

Financial Mismanagement Raises Concerns

The findings reveal serious lapses in BSNL’s financial management and contract enforcement, highlighting ongoing revenue leakages in the state-owned telecom sector. With concerns mounting, industry experts believe this could result in tighter oversight of BSNL’s agreements and policies to prevent further losses. The government has yet to respond to the CAG’s observations.

Conclusion

The CAG report highlights BSNL’s financial mismanagement and revenue leakages. Experts suggest stricter oversight and policy reforms to prevent such losses in the future.

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