The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has extended the additional charge of Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of BSNL and MTNL assigned to Robert Jerard Ravi for another three months, pending approval from the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC). This development was revealed in a regulatory filing on Tuesday.
Ravi, currently serving as Deputy Director General (Standards Research and Innovation), took on the additional responsibility of leading the telecom public sector undertakings on July 13, 2024, after the government denied an extension to former CMD PK Purwar.
According to the latest order from MTNL, Ravi’s extended tenure will continue from January 15, 2025, to April 14, 2025, or until further notice, whichever comes earlier. The order emphasised the need to prevent key leadership positions in BSNL, MTNL, and BBNL from remaining vacant.
During his time as CMD, Ravi has played a key role in accelerating BSNL’s 4G network rollout and finalising the tender for the third phase of the BharatNet project. BharatNet Phase 3 aims to provide broadband connectivity to 6.4 lakh villages and all 2.64 lakh Gram panchayats across the country.
As per official data, by October 2024, under Phase-I and Phase-II of BharatNet, 2,14,283 gram panchayats had been made ready for broadband services. The ongoing BharatNet project is a critical initiative to bridge the digital divide by ensuring internet access in rural areas.
