Monthly Archives: February 2012

Telecom Companies Demand Essential Service Status.

25 Saturday Feb 2012

Posted by in Telecom

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The telecom companies whose licences are to be cancelled as per the Supreme Court order have demanded bail-out packages for them by refunding the licence fee along with interest, which the governemt is seriously thinking of. Instead of implementing the SC judgment faithfully, the government is on the search for some bail-out to help them. This is only natural on the part of this government agressively continuing with the pro-private policies.

Now the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), representing the private telecom companies have demanded that the telecom industry be given the Essential Services status. they have also demanded tax  relaxations or waiving of tax for about 20 years. We have been demanding for Licence Fee relaxation for BSNL, but the government did not agree. But whether the government will agree, because it is the private companies which are demanding tax releif now.

Jobs in Public Sector Banks

25 Saturday Feb 2012

Posted by in PSU

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The following PSU Banks have called for applications for recruitment of staff. The total number comes to 10,255. The other PSU Banks are also expected to recruit shortly. In such a case, it is estimated that there will be recruitment to the extent of about 20,000 to 25,000. Those who are graduates and who have already passed the written examination conducted by the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection are eligible to apply. The vacancies have come mainly due to the VRS and retirement as also increase in work.

Name of Bank                   No. Of vacancies

Union Bank                         2473

Bank of India                     1800

Syndicate bank                 1750

Corporation Bank              355

Punjab National Bank      775

Allahabad bank                                1600

Bank of Baroda                   600

Indian Bank                          452

United Bank of India        450

BSNL deprived of National Optical Fibre Network project

25 Saturday Feb 2012

Posted by in Telecom

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It was expected that the National Optical Broadband Network (NOBN) project  which aims to connect more than 2.25 gram panchayats in the country would be entrusted with BSNL, since it is the most eligible with maximum infrastructure like 6 lakh route km of optical fibre  and staff for executing the same. The project will be financed by funds from USO. We also had demanded the government that it should be entrusted with BSNL. The DOT had also suggested that the work be entrusted with BSNL.

But, according to media reports, the government is now proposing to set up a Special Purpose Vehicle(SPV)  for implementing this project . The  SPV will be named Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL) with an estimate of Rs. 20,000 crore  for this project. Public Sector Units like BSNL, Railtel, Powergrid etc. will be involved in this.

If this project was entrusted with BSNL, the ailing PSU could have improved its financial position and also done the job in a very efficient way, since sufficient senior and experienced staff is available. There is no doubt that the present move to deny BSNL this responsibility is due to pressure from certain quarters, especially private telecom operators, who are afraid of BSNL attaining a prominent position.

The Unions in BSNL and others have to demand the government  to change their present proposal/decision and entrust the scheme with BSNL which will benefit the country.

 

2G Scam – Subramanian Swamy approaches Supreme Court against Chidambaram

25 Saturday Feb 2012

Posted by in 2G Scam Corruption

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In a move which may adversely affect Home minister Chidambaram, Subramanian Sway, President Janata Party , has filed petition in the Supreme Court requesting direction to call Former Finance Minister Chidambaram on his role in the 2G scam. His plea is that Chidambaram is also equally responsible for the decisions taken in the 2G allotment. The present case is filed in appeal against the decision of the lower court dismissing his petition to bring Chidambaram as a witness in the case.

A Model P and T Co-operative Society

24 Friday Feb 2012

Posted by in General

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I was at Pune today, 24th February, in connection with a Convention of the BSNL Employees to prepare for the 28th February strike. Before the meeting which was scheduled at 1500 hours, Comrades Nagesh Nallawade, Circle President and Purushotham Gedam, Circle Secretary took me to The Pune Posts & Telecom Co-operative Credit Society Limited, which is in Pune city itself. It is accommodated in a three storeyed plus ground-floor building newly purchased for an amount of Rs. 1.71 crore. It is a spacious building and there is a big Conference Hall, rooms for office purpose, sitting room etc. About 15 officials are employed by the society for the day-to-day work. It is kept neat and clean also. I was really impressed by the arrangement and functioning of the Society. I was told that loan to Rs. 5 lakh are given to the members. The Society has a proposal to start a Bank also. As social responsiblity, the society is giving  a good number of blankets to the old people, and I saw the same there purchased for supply. I suggested certain other social responsibilities which the society can undertake. Com. Nallawade is the President of the Society. I congratulated them for making the society to the present position.

It is not an isolated case. P&T employees have such big societies in many places like Thiruvananthapuram, Hubli etc. If the societies are run in an efficient manner, the workers will get much benefit. These societies can run stores also which will be helpful to our employees.

Pune fully prepared for the 28th February Strike – Convention at Pune

24 Friday Feb 2012

Posted by in TU News - Telecom specific

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The BSNL Unions Convention at Pune today, 24th February to propagate the message of the proposed 28th February Strike was fully participated. The big hall where the Convention was held was full with even many comrades standing outside. The meeting was presided over by Smt. Vandana Duppalliwar. Comrades Nagesh Nallawade, Circle President and Purushotham Gedam, Circle Secretary, BSNLEU welcomed the large gathering and also briefly mentioned about the need to make the strike successful. I was the first speaker. I explained the main demands of the strike, the unity of the Central Trade Unions and All India Federations in taking the decision for strike as also the unity brought in the BSNL Unions for united action. The house, with many lady comrades, heard with rapt attention. S/Shri Islam Ahamed, President, NFTE and S.N.Deshpande, leader BMS addressed. Circle Secretaries of the BSNL Unions and some District Secretaries of Maharashtra were present. The entire house sat till the meeting was over. From the attendance as well as the receptive mood of the house, it was clear that the 28th strike will be a great success in Pune.

Recruitment in Public Sector Banks – A good sign.

24 Friday Feb 2012

Posted by in PSU

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The recruitment process has started in the Public Sector Banks. 9 Public Sector Banks have called for applications. The vacancy comes to 10,255. Other PSU Banks are also expected to call for applications. The vacancies have arisen due to increase in the business, large-scale VRS earlier and very less recruitment for the last many years.

The recruitment will help the customers and also reduce the heavy overload of work on the employees. Not only in the banks, but in other Public Sector Units also the recruitment for regular employees should take place by regularising the contract workers as also bringing in fresh blood.

Birth Centenary Celebrations of Comrade P.Sundarayya

24 Friday Feb 2012

Posted by in History

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The Birth Centenary of Comrade P.Sundarayya, the builder of Communist Party and movement in South India and the supreme commander of  the historic Telengana struggle and the beloved leader of the toiling masses will be observed from 1st May 2012 to 1st May 2013. Comrade Puchhalappalli Sundarayya was born on the 1st May 1913. His entire life was spent to serve the people. He was the first General Secretary of the CPI(M). He was a Member of Parliament. His simplicity is well-known.  His Birth Centenary Celebrations will naturally focus on his service to the people of this country and to the communist movement.

Why Change of Designations for the non-executive cadres ?

23 Thursday Feb 2012

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation

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BSNLEU demanded for  change of designations of the non-executives in BSNL a few years back and after the issue was discussed in the National Council, a committee was formed with the management and union representatives. The committee could not finalise its recommendations since the management side wanted time to finalize the designations of the executives so that there will be no conflict. Now, on the demand of the staff side, a new committee has been formed and the first meeting was held today, 23rd February. The committee has, as a preliminary step, suggested certain designations for the four main streams viz. RM/Group D, Telecom Mechanic, Sr.TOA and TTA.  (The details of the suggestions etc. will be put in the website of BSNLEU). This will be discussed  in the next meeting.

Why we have  demanded for change of designations?  The present designations have not been prepared and decided in a systematic way. The Telecom was growing in a fast way and new technologies and services required officials to deal with them. So new cadres were created one after another. New names were given to these cadres. By the time BSNL was formed, there were more than 100 cadres, with different names, some of them doing similar work also. Promotions required further designations. Of course certain cadres were merged in the meanwhile, but that also did not help much. For the same cadre itself different names were used in different parts of the country. The number of cadres have become too much and many of the jobs entrusted to them have been discontinued or became redundant.

The group C and D officials were never given good designations, as the top-level officers/management wanted to show the differences between them and the lower paid officials. The times have now changed. In the private sector dealing with public, better and good sounding designations are provided, which helps in dealing with the public. In DOT/BSNL, the designations look very much old-fashioned and downgrading. In this competitive field, the change of designations is a must.

We have told the management to reduce the number of cadres and provide with good designations. It is important for motivation and self-respect to the employees as also will benefit the company. We hope that better designations will  be finalised by the committee according to the aspiration of the workers.

Annual General Body Meeting of NCCPA

23 Thursday Feb 2012

Posted by in AIBDPA - BSNL DOT Pensioners

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The Annual General Body Meeting of the National Co-Ordination Committee of  Pensioners Association, the umbrella organisation of the Central Government Pensioners, will be held at Ratlam (M.P.) on 12-13 April 2012. Working Committee will meet on 11th April.

It is expected that important decisions to settle the issues of the Central Government Pensioners will be taken in the meeting.