BSNL, in rural marketing pact with National Fertilisers

Mumbai: Public sector telco Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL)  today said it had tied up with fertilizer giant National Fertilizers Limited (NFL) to use its wide distributor network base to market a range of mobile and broadband services to rural consumers.

The tie up would also strengthen NFL's efforts in providing updated agro information to farmers. NFL is already undertaking a number of educational and information-based programmes for farmers using its strong marketing network.

With this alliance BSNL has committed itself to launching a pilot for selling BSNL mobile products in MP and Chhattisgarh where NFL enjoys a substantial market share for its products.

BSNL will start selling paper and electronic recharge vouchers followed by SIMs, and GSM data cards through the NDFL dealer network.

The new BSNL-NFL tie up will enable the telecom firm to provide a wide range of services to the fast emerging telecom and digital needs of the rural India, which still remains an underserved segment in one of the fastest growing economies globally.

BSNL will offer rural consumers advantages like free SMS or voicemail up to five times a day on mandi prices, soil testing, farming techniques, dairy, weather forecasts, rural health etc, in the local language of the region in the next few months.

BSNL has assumed the responsibility to design and conduct training for NFL dealers and retailers at six locations in Raipur, Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh and in Bhopal, Jabalpur, Indore, Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh.