MTNL also asked to provide insurance cover to consumers:Cong

New Delhi, Feb 1 (UNI) The Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) has also been asked to provide an insurance cover of Rs 50,000 to its consumers, Minister of State for Communications Shakeel Ahmed said today.

Briefing reporters at the AICC headquarters in his capacity as Congress spokesperson, Mr Ahmed said BSNL's decision to provide such a cover to its consumers -- basic, WLL and post paid cell connections -- vindicated the party's stand and of the UPA that they were for the common man.

PSUs were there not for merely making profits, but to take care of the welfare of the common man, he said.

At the meeting, where the decision relating to the BSNL insurance cover was taken, the CMD of MTNL was also present and he was advised to take a similar step, the party spokesman said.

Replying to a question, he said he had not seen any statement by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh or by Finance Minister P Chidambaram, favouring privatisation of all PSUs.

UNI SN/SH RP HT1745