In a "special bonanza scheme" coinciding with the forthcoming Independence Day and the festival season, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd on Wednesday announced a free talktime of Rs 600 for its new post-paid users.

New CellOne (post-paid) customers, would be given Rs 600 talktime free (Rs 100 per month for six months), BSNL chairman and managing director, Prithipal Singh told reporters in New Delhi.

BSNL's landline subscribers would get this new connection at Rs 200 and non-BSNL landline subscriber will get the cellular connection at Rs 1200, including registration of Rs 1000, which is refundable.

The scheme is valid on all existing plans including Plan 225, Plan 525 and standard package in the Bihar, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh (East), Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and West Bengal, amongst others.

The scheme would be valid from Thursday to August 15.

For the new Excel (pre-paid) customers in Gujarat and Haryana, the company has announced talktime equivalent to the value of SIM cards.