OBCs get a call from BSNL

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) has been "connecting India" for quite some time. The state-run telecom company has now decided to connect people from the same castes as well.

BSNL has just launched a closed user group plan for Other Backward classes (OBCs) in Maharashtra. It has tied up with the Satyashodhak OBC Parishad, a non-political organisation, for a prepaid talk time plan at nominal charges.

Closed user groups are groups of GSM mobile telephone subscribers that can only make calls and receive calls from members within the group.

So far, closed-user group plans have been extensively used by companies, as it reduces inter-phone call charges.he scheme will be valid initially up to September 13, with a rider that members of the Satyashodhak OBC Parishad would have to book a minimum of 6,000 connections.

V V Joshi, BSNL's marketing officer based in Beed (Marathwada) said, "There are no hidden charges in the scheme, unlike those offered by private players.The scheme is prepared as per BSNL's policy of reaching out to a maximum number of people from every section of the society."

Hanumant Upre, president of the Parishad,

said it was the outcome of three months of discussions with BSNL.

"The talk time scheme will not only increase interaction among the 357 sub-castes of OBCs but will also pave the way for inter-caste marriages," he said.

The Parishad has appointed nodal officers across the state to enrol members under the scheme and is getting a good response. Upre expects to soon cross the 6,000 target set by BSNL.

The scheme envisages minimum recharge at Rs 90 per month per connection, free talk of 100 minutes on own network, 200 minutes on other networks and 250 free SMSs.

The subscriber will get free GRPS at 100 Mb per month. National roaming would be charged at Rs 1 with Rs 1.50 for outgoing calls. Besides, the subscriber would have to pay Rs 1 per SMS for national roaming.

The launch of the scheme, note political observers, comes at a time when elections to 33 zilla parishads, 200 municipalities and 22 municipal corporations are slated to be held this November and next February.

Every political party in the state is concentrating on reaching out to OBCs. BSNL's talk time scheme may come in handy for parties to increase their base.

In May, BSNL had launched a special rate plan for para-military forces, covering 900,000 jawans.