BSNL is in the red as per the report of the BSNL Management. It was not so when it was formed in October 2000. It had a cash balance of Rs.35,000 crore in the Banks and it was posting profit of Rs.5000 to Rs. 10000 crore in the first 6/7 years. What happened now due to which the BSNL is in the red.

The first reason is the wrong and anti-PSU policy of the Central Government. While in the 1950s to 1970s it was the policy of the Government to form more and more PSUs and convert loss making and inefficient private companies to PSUs as in the case of LIC, Banks, Oil companies etc., the neo-liberal policies initiated by the Government in the 1990s has turned every thing on the opposite direction. Now government department like Telecom has been converted to PSUs – VSNL, MTNL and BSNL. The next steps are disinvestment and privatisation. VSNL is already privatised, MTNL is disinvested to the tune of 45% and government is on the way to disinvest BSNL, which has not been done only due to the strong oposition from the trade unions. The government is continuing with its plan of weakening BSNL so that it gets justification for privatisation – handing over this mega telecom PSU to private companies.

What is the role of the management ? Whether it is strengthening BSNL or weakening? There is no doubt it was not a positive role since the viability of the company has gone down. It was only the BSNL Board, which had taken decision to cancel both the tenders of 45 million as well as 95 million mobile equipments. Corruption has become rampant at the top level. Target fixed are not completed. Wasteful expenditure had become the practise.

What about executives and non-executives. They have protested against the above and could achieve something. But not sufficient enough to make the situation better. Much more is to be done by the workers.

A complete overhaul has become necessary at the top level, including the change in the policy. An Alternative Telecom Policy has become the imperative. Instead of only blame-game, joint team work with clear targets and strategy have to be adopted and implemented. The workers have to take the lead for this overhaul with the support of the people.