Indiantelevision.com Team

(15 January 2008 3:30 pm)

NEW DELHI: In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), which claims to be the largest integrated telecom service provider in the country, has launched a free personal accidental insurance policy for all its 34 million landline, WLL and post-paid mobile customers.

The accident policy will cover accidental death, and/or permanent disability caused as a result of any accident or disease. The insured sum will be to the extent of Rs 50,000.

At a press meet attended by Telecom Minister A Raja and Minister of State Shakeel Ahmed, a BSNL spokesperson said that a total of around 10 million of the customers live in rural areas.

After launching the scheme, Raja said that the country has 600,000 villages and mobile connectivity has brought about a social upheaval for these people.

Noting that BSNL, which is a public sector undertaking, is shouldering some of the social responsibilities of the government, the minister said BSNL had also been the first to introduce the "One India Plan" and a "Roaming Free" scheme which were then emulated by other telecom providers.