ITI inks deal with Alcatel

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has sanctioned Rs 1,032 crore for the revival of Indian Telephone Industries (ITI), Bangalore, and the company has entered into a technical tie-up with Alcatel of France for manufacturing three million telephone lines, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.

Replying to supplementaries during question hour, communications and information technology minister Dayanidhi Maran said while the previous NDA government had contemplated closing down ITI and had even offered VRS for its staff, the UPA government took a decision to revive it.

"As per the technical tie-up between Alcatel and ITI, Alcatel will supply one million lines to ITI while three million lines would be manufactured by ITI," the minister said.