New Delhi: Ailing state-run telecom companies Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) have total outstanding arrears of 6,215 crore from customers as on December 31, 2012, communications & IT minister Kapil Sibal has said.

Government offices and public representatives owe 19 crore to MTNL, which provides services in Delhi and Mumbai circles.

Sibal in a written reply to the Lok Sabha today said, "BSNL has outstanding arrears of 5,188 crore from wireline and wireless customers while MTNL is having outstanding dues of 1,027 crore from customers as on December 31, 2012."

MTNL is having outstanding dues 14.76 crore in Delhi and 4.24 crore in Mumbai recoverable from government offices and public representatives, he said.

"BSNL has recovered 2,177 crore against outstanding dues while MTNL has recovered 74 crore up to December 31, 2012," Sibal added.

In order to recover the outstanding money, the two PSUs are taking several measures including payment reminders through Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) and Short Message Service (SMS), graded discount schemes and incentive schemes to employees of BSNL for recovery of outstanding arrears from defaulters, Sibal said.

BSNL circles have also been asked to utilize the services of state government department in recovery of outstanding dues.

"Procedure for settlement of defaulter cases through Lok Adalat has been introduced for recovery of outstanding telephone dues in respect of permanently closed connections," Sibal added.

In a separate query, minister of state for communications and IT Killi Kruparani said private telecom service providers owe 30.34 crore to BSNL for hiring its infrastructure sites as on January 31, 2013 while MTNL has arrears to the tune of Rs 17.72 crore from private players.

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