From BTM To BSNL

First of June is an important date in India. It is the day on which monsoon is expected to break in and bring the most important rains for the agriculture sector. The South-West monsoon rains spur the farming activity and herald the advent of Kharif season. It decides the quantum of agriculture production for the year. It is also important for other reasons as well; providing drinking water for people and animals, augmenting ground water level, bringing relief from the sweltering summer heat and so on. In vast rain dependant dry cropping areas, the level of monsoon rains decides yield on certain crops. 

Present generation has not seen the real struggle in life due to famines. Failure of monsoon for two or three years successively was a common feature some six or seven decades ago. (Please click here to read a blog post titled "Knock on the Door" about famines). Improvements in water management by construction of dams across all rivers and thereby increasing storage capacities in the dams has somewhat reduced the full force of a monsoon failure. Even then, there would be serious concerns of water shortage if monsoon rains fail. 

What is the quantum of food grains produced in the country? For the year 2024-25, total food grain production in the Khariff season was about 165 million metric tonnes. Compare this with total annual production of food grains in the country at 51 million metric tonnes in 1950. Total food grain production since independence has increased five-fold, crossing 300 million tonnes last year. This is only of food grains and excluding other food components production. 

Such tremendous increase in food production has made India self-sufficient in food as well as a food grains exporting country. Since the advent of Covid, government has been providing free food grains to 80 crore people in the country! Meteorological department predicts the breakout of monsoon and the extent of rain coverage every year. There are instances of delay in onset of monsoon in some years. But this year (2025) it has arrived more than a week in advance. The meteorological forecast is for 106 percent rains, meaning it will be meeting full expectations. There are usually some showers in some areas of the country, especially the southern states, some two weeks before June, known as pre-monsoon showers. This years pre-monsoon showers have been quite strong. In fact, the gap between pre-monsoon showers and regular monsoon rains appears to have vanished. 

*****  

Monsoon rains bring cheer to the farming sector, but often a cause of worry for people inhabited in low lying areas. Man's greed has resulted in gross urbanisation and skyrocketing of real estate prices. Hundreds of lakes have been encroached upon and high rise buildings have come up there. This is even more striking in cities like Bangalore. Bangalore City is situate at about 3,000 feet above sea level and comprises valleys and uneven landscape. It was housing more than 1,000 lakes, big and small. Most of them have since vanished and made way for new residential areas with high rise flats culture. 

Like in earlier years, this years rains have also brought in its share of woes to the residents of low lying areas in Bangalore. Not just cases of water gushing into houses and flats, but also flooding of roads and water-logging in important traffic junctions. There are many such pain points all over the city. Silk Board junction in BTM layout is much in discussion. Of course, there are even more dangerous spots in the city. People not able to swim should not venture to go out. Cars are floating and valuable furniture and gadgets are all soaked in water. Drinking water is difficult to procure. There is a big danger of breakout of epidemics. Added to the worries are reports of Covid resurfacing. Recent reports suggest that the count has crossed 3,000 though all concerned authorities are reassuring that the situation is not alarming.

Flooding is not just on roads and houses. WhatsApp groups are flooded with photos and cartoons. The real situation photos like people wading through waist-deep rain water, cars floating, people being rescued on boats are galore. There are memes of entrepreneurs coming up with services of strong people carrying other people to cross slush and floods, on their back for a fee. There are headlines of "A river for every house", "Water Bhagya Project" and "Own your stream scheme" and so on.

The real tragedy is of the fact that the politicians responsible for encroachment of lakes for housing projects are now the ones tasked with rescuing people from the floating city. Endless blame game is going on. Sadly, everything will be forgotten as soon as the rains subside and it would be life as usual. The entire drama will be reenacted next year. 

*****

Amidst all these drowning news items and memes, one news of a government entity, that was considered drowned for ever, trying to float has got drowned indeed. BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited) was considered as drowned for ever. Questions were asked about as to how long the government will continue to pour taxpayers  money into this white elephant. There were serious complaints that the successive governments neglected providing for capital expenditure to BSNL to favour private operators. 

The recent publication of audited financial results of BSNL for the year 2024-25 has shown back-to-back quarterly profits during Q3 and Q4 of the financial year. A profit of Rs. 261 crores during Q3 has moved up to Rs.280 crores during Q4. Loss during the year 2024-25 stood at Rs. 2,247 crores, down from Rs. 5,370 crores during the previous year. This 58% reduction in loss is no mean achievement considering that the finances of BSNL were in total mess. Addition of capital assets in the form of equipments and towers was to a remarkable extent of Rs. 26,022 crores. 

This position is equivalent to a drowning man showing some signs of fighting back, though actual fight for full recovery is quite far far away. Even with back-to-back quarterly profits, annual loss was at a staggering level. However, there are indications that the problem is being attacked. One can only hope that this fight continues and BSNL will continue its efforts to float back to safety. 

*****

BTM layout and its cousins are drowning. BSNL makes a struggle to keep afloat. May be a reflection of the times we live in!