The rate at which Patanjali is diversifying, it wasn’t long before they came out with their own SIM cards. It has been a long-running joke on social media. But now the joke’s on us. Patanjali has done it and has launched their own SIM cards in association with BSNL. Which is a smart move because BSNL already has a countrywide reach and have a ready infrastructure.
Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali has jumped into the telecom sector in a partnership with the state-run telecom BSNL. Patanjali is evolving from an ayurvedic products company to a professionally managed corporate entity. We had reported earlier this month that Patanjali beat other MNCs to emerge as the most-trusted FMCG brand.
Patanjali is also venturing into e-commerce with as many as eight partners to sell their products online. And now Patanjali has stepped into the highly competitive telecom industry.
Patanjali SIM Cards: A Reality
The juggernaut called Patanjali is showing no signs of stopping. With businesses as diverse as ayurvedic products to solar power, Patanjali seems to want to do it all. With the competition already at a peak in the telecom sector, Patanjali has decided to test the waters.
They have joined hands with BSNL to launch a Swadeshi Samriddhi SIM. The SIM card may carry Patanjali’s branding but will use BSNL’s network to work. The BSNL Patanjali Plan is a relatively simple one. It will offer;
- 2GB high-speed data per day
- Free unlimited voice calling to anywhere in India (except Mumbai and Delhi)
- 100 free SMS per day
- No roaming charges anywhere in the country (except Mumbai and Delhi)
This plan will be offered in 3 denominations depending on their validity;
- Rs 144 for 30 days
- Rs 792 for 180 days
- Rs 1,584 for 365 days
The pricing is very competitive and beats Jio’s 2GB/day plans. Where Jio’s plans cost around Rs. 5.3 per day, the BSNL Patanjali plan will cost around Rs 4.4 per day. But it is not clear whether Patanjali is offering 4G speeds as BSNL 4G is not yet fully deployed.
Also, as of now. these SIM cards will only be available to Patanjali employees and office bearers. But these will be made available to the public in the near future. The employees can get their Patanjali SIM cards at any BSNL outlet by showing their Patanjali ID card.
The Value Addition
The Swadeshi Samriddhi SIM will also offer many value-added benefits which include;
- 10% discount on Patanjali products
- Health & Accidental insurance up to Rs 2.5 lakh
- Life insurance up to Rs 5 lakh
More benefits will be added later on.
Swadeshi is the buzzword for these new SIM cards. Baba Ramdev has said that these are swadeshi SIM cards and will be thus beneficial for the welfare of the country. He’s also said that the Patanjali SIM cards will be available to everybody at any of the five lakh BSNL outlets. He said,
“There are five lakh counters of BSNL, and from there people can soon get Patanjali swadeshi-samradhi card,”
What do you think of Patanjali’s new venture? If you are a Patanjali employee, have you got your Swadeshi-Samriddhi SIM card yet? Share your experience and opinions here.