Ravi Shankar Prasad said the move is meant to help needy people continue work.
People using pre-paid service of the government-run BSNL and MTNL service will be able to get incoming calls till April 20 without making extra payment, the government today said. Also Rs.10 worth of outgoing calls will also be allowed to all these pre-paid customers. The extension was given as part of the relief extended to the common man amid the three-week lockdown over coronavirus.
The decision was taken today at a video conference between Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who is handling the communication portfolio and the state-level officials. "Prepaid sims of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) will not be discontinued till 20th April. For outgoing calls, a Rs 10 incentive has been provided automatically from today, so that poor people & needy people continue to work," the minister said after the meeting.
"It was emphasised that posts and telecom are essential services and they must be maintained without any interruption," the government said in a communique issued later.
"A very important decision was taken in the background of the difficulties faced by common people, validity of all pre-paid mobile phones of BSNL and MTNL has been extended till 20th April which will enable incoming calls for them. Also Rs.10 worth of outgoing calls will also be allowed to all these pre-paid customers," the government said.
Congress's Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has called upon telecom companies to make their services free for a month to help migrant labourers. Yesterday, she wrote to Airtel chief Sunil Bharti Mittal, Reliance chief Mukesh Ambani, and heads of BSNL and Vodafone.
Highlighting the plight of migrant workers, she said telecom companies can make a constructive change in the current circumstances.
"I feel it is our national duty to help the people of the country in this hour of crisis," she wrote. "I urge you to make your mobile services free for one month so that those men and women reach out to their near and dear ones easily and not face hardships in talking to them in this difficult phase in their life," the letter further read.