State-run BSNL has said, it has registered the highest growth rate in providing new wireless connections during February this year, beating all private operators. In an official release it said, BSNL has a growth rate of 1.67 per cent, followed by Bharti Airtel with 1.18 per cent, whereas the industry average stood at 0.85 per cent. BSNL added nearly 14 lakh subscribers to increase its base to 8.5 crore. <br/><br/>Talking to reporters in New Delhi yesterday, Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, this is a matter of great satisfaction that BSNL has left behind private telcos in growth rate. He said, this only shows that hard work, dedication and strict monitoring at the political level, public sector units can do well and give competition to private telcos.