Video Over Internet Protocol (VVOIP) services by BSNL was launched on 18th July by Sam Pitroda, Advisor to Prime Minister on Public Information, Infrastructure and Innovations at a function organised in Delhi. BSNL subscribers will now be able to make audio and video calls on any landline , mobile or IP phones world wide.
Let us hope this will augment some more revenue to BSNL in addition to giving the services to the people.

The Government is proposing to sanction a revival package of Rs. 1,732 crore to Air India. Out of these Rs. 532 crore is the arrears/dues the government has to pay to Air India which has accumulated in years. Air India has got loans of about Rs. 20,415 crore which has to be paid in this financial year.
It was mainly due to the pro-private policies of the government and mismanagement that this sad situation has come. The wrong and pro-private decisions taken by the former aviation minister Prabhul Patel had made the situation worse.
The workers and their unions in the Air India have got a big responsibility in compelling the management and government to take suitable decisions to revive and strengthen the PSU, which is a great national asset.

The present UPA II government headed by Dr. Manmohan Singh and the Congress party with Sonia Gandhi as chairperson are in a mad rush to disinvest and privatise almost all the public sector units as part of their neo-liberal policies. Department of Disinvestment is working 365/24 hours with this ‘urgent mission’.
But things were different decades back and especially immediately after India got independence. New PSUs were constituted for the growth of infrastructure and manufacturing units. And many private companies in the insurance, banks, oil etc. were converted in to PSUs. That is how in 1969, on 19th July, 14 private banks were nationalised by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.They are Indian Bank, Bank of India, Canara Bank, Punjab National Bank, United Bank, Syndicate Bank, Corporation Bank, Punjab and Sind Bank, Union Bank of India etc.
Now the Government is trying to merge, privatise or weaken these banks in order to help the Multi-National Banks. There is a move by the big business to start their own banks also so that they can cheat the people as they did earlier.
But the Bank workers are ready to face the challenge and fight back.
My Greetings to all the bank workers on this day of Nationalisation!

Yesterday (17th July), I was in Srinagar along with P.Abhimanyu, GS, BSNLEU for organisational purpose. After the meeting, along with Nisar Ahmed and some other comrades, we walked on the sides of the Jhelum river which flows through the middle of the city and also had a boating in the shikara, the small canoe used for sight-seeing. On both sides of the roads there are the beautiful chinar trees which are more than 200-300 years and give a very good cooling effect to the atmosphere.
The climate was gently warm and felt very good. There were a lot of people, specially tourists in the streets and the various beautiful gardens spread over the centre of the city.
I felt very happy. On earlier occasions when I visited Srinagar, there were very few tourists and once I could not find even a single shikara in the Dal Lake which is famous for boating in the house-boats and shikaras. Though the situation in Kashmir has not returned to normal, there is vast improvement and the tourists are coming back. I wish that let the process continue which will help Kashmir people to grow and develop.

At last under worldwide pressure, the Swiss National Bank President Walter Meier has admitted that there is a huge $ 2.5 billion deposits from Indians in the Swiss Banks. It was $ 2.7 billion in 2009 and $ 3 billion in 2008.
The reluctance of Indian Government to expose and take action against those who stashed the money in the Swiss Banks, which are mainly illegal and black money, is well-known. Even after the remarks by the Supreme in the undue delay in unearthing black money, the Government has not moved. In fact, it seems that the government wants to save these culprits. They have grown only with the support of those in power.
The Government should take stringent actions against these hoarders and bring back the money to India and use it for the uplift of the poor in the country.

According to the 2011 census, India’s population has reached 1210.19 million (121.02 crore). There is an increase of 18.15 crore (17.6%) from the last census in 2001 which was 102.8 crore.
India has the second largest population in the world, only next to China. It is estimated that India may
push back China in to second position within a few decades, say by 2050.
Despite a slight reduction in the birth rate, the population continues to increase due to increase in longevity.

Despite the suggestion of the DOT against the recommendations of the TRAI to cancel 74 licences of companies which did not roll out services as per the licence agreement, the latter has stood firm and told DOT that the licenses should be cancelled. The stand taken by TRAI is to be appreciated. It will warn those compnaies in future who want to cheat the government by taking licences and not roll out services or sell it to other companies.
According to TRAI these spectrum to be recovered from the companies can be re-auctioned so that the government will get money as also that the spectrum is effectively used.
Otherwise the blackmarketeeing of the spectrum by some companies will continue.

At last some results are coming due to continued demand of the employees on the procurement of equipments. In the meeting with JAC leaders on 15th July 2011, CMD stated that advance purchase orders have been issued for sufficient number of cables, instruments etc. E-mil tender process has started for the procurement of GSM lines. EVD cards are being purchased. A small report of the meeting is given below:
JOINT ACTION COMMITTEE OF BSNL ASSOCIATIONS /UNIONS OF EXECUTIVES AND NON-EXECUTIVES
D-7, Telegraph Place, Gole market, New Delhi – 110 001

________________________________________________________________________
JAC/GL 15-07-2011

JAC Meets CMD BSNL

The leaders of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) met Shri R.K.Upadhyay, CMD BSNL today, 15th July 2011 and conveyed the decision of the JAC to observe the financial year 2011-2012 as “Customer Delight Year 2011-2012” as decided by the JAC meeting held on 13-07-2011. A letter to the effect was handed over. CMD congratulated and thanked the JAC for the welcome decision and efforts made by it to improve the services.

CMD informed that APO has been issued for cables and 17.5 lakhs ID caller telephones as also e-tender issued for procuring 14.37 million GSM lines. EVD and other cards are being procured. He also stated that strict instructions have been issued to ensure that positive growth is there in all the circles.

The JAC leaders strongly opposed the proposals to outsource provisioning and maintenance of broadband services. CMD assured that no decision has been taken in the matter and only some information has been called for. He assured that before taking any decision on outsourcing, the points raised by the union will be considered.

V.A.N.Namboodiri
Convener, JAC

BSNL is proposing outsourcing of broadband services and circulars have been sent to circles by the Corporate office in this respect. I strongly oppose this proposal since it is neither necessary nor beneficial to the company.
BSNL is having about 60% market share in broadband services and is the leader in this respect. It is one of the main revenue earning service with much scope for expansion. BSNL has got the infrastructure also all over the country for this purpose.
Outsourcing will result in extra expenditure and benefit to the franchisee only. The management should immediately drop the proposal. The JAC of BSNL Associations and Unions has strongly opposed the move.

The Government is proposing to bring a comprehensive Spectrum Act for assignment, monitoring, valuation/pricing, relocation and withdrawal of spectrum. This has been necessitated in view of the allegations and scam in the spectrum allocation and licences.A committee with retired judge Justice Shivraj Patil as its Chairman has already been formed for the purpose of drafting the act.
It is reported that the act may include clauses authorising the government to withdraw, revoke or cancel the spectrum allotted to the operators if they fail to effectively use the spectrum allotted.