I am happy that the BSNL management has now strictly instructed the circles to reduce unnecessary expenditure by vacating the rented buildings and shift to BSNL’s own buildings. Certainly, there will be good savings.

In fact,this was one of the issues BSNLEU took in the National Council about 4-5 yearsback  to reduce expenditure. We told the management that if the Statesman House is not vacated ( about Rs. 2 crore was the rent and connected expenditure) and Corporate office shifted to its own new building, we will start agitation. It had its effect and the office was shifted to Bharat Sanchar Bhawan. Again we pressed for shifting of the offices from rented buildings in Delhi including Chandralok Bldg and the same also was implemented.

Along with that we demanded  all the rental buildings in the country should be vacated and shifted to our own offices. There has been good results. But the present circular by Corporate office reveals that there are many more rented buildings to be vacated. Our Circle/District unions should pressure the CGM/GMs to immediately vacate all rented buildings and shift to our own buildings. In some places, there may be a little inconveniences, but we have to accept the position.

BSNLEU, as mentioned earlier, has suggested many more items where expenditure can be reduced. One was holding all official meetings like Circle Heads meetings etc. to be in BSNL office only instead of in three star and five star buildings. Now the Corporate office has shifted such meetings to Bharat Sanchar Bhawan. Another is reducing the electricity expenses by putting off the lights and fans when they are not required. Another is reducing the expenditure on vehicles and petrol and  the misuse of the same. This will result in a big saving. We also have suggested that instead of holding meetings now and then and calling the CGMs at Delhi, GMs at Circle HQ etc. can be reduced by holding Video Conferences which will reduce TA/DA as also save much time. Foreign trips causing expenditure of crores of rupees can be reduced to the minimum required. High level club membership for Directors, CGMs etc. can be stopped saving lakhs of rupees. Scraps in Telecom Factories and all SSAs should be sold at the earliest which will make more space available and get good money. Our training centres, ALTTC, CTTC, RTTC etc. can be rented to Central Government, other PSUs etc. for training when they are not required for us. The Staff Quarters can be rented in the same way, which will ensure that these are used and not kept idle.

There are many more suggestions to reduce the expenditure. I hope that the management at least at this late stage will consider all these and take immediate action.

Our Circle/ SSA Secretaries should take up these issues at their respective levels, which will benefit the company in a large way.

The Government has decided that the base price for 2G Spectrum of  5 Mhrz will be Rs. 14,000 crore only. The TRAI and DOT has taken a position earlier that it has to be Rs. 18,000 crore. As usual, the price has been reduced on the pressure of the private telecom companies.

.All will agree that after the formation of the BSNL, there is more delay in decision-making and implementation on all matters. Of course, it is true that, DOT being the owner of the company, in most of the cases, approval of DOT is necessary which causes delay. But is it the only delay? Presumably NO. The decision-making in BSNL itself takes undue delay, completely violative of the corporate decision-making process.

Take for example the supply of equipment like cable, GSM lines, Broadband Modem etc. which are urgently required at the field level to provide connections and also for maintenance of the services. At the time of the 15 December 2011 strike, it was assured that all these will be provided at the earliest. Workers are waiting and waiting. Corporate Management has informed months back that every material required have been made available. But the report we are getting from the field is otherwise. Barring some exceptions, none of these, GSM lines, Cables, phone Instruments, Modems etc. have been received at the field levels. The field level managements are telling that these have not been received.

In such a critical sector like Telecom, where there is die-hard competition, can the BSNL survive if such delay takes place hitting the development and expansion? The market share of BSNL is continuously reducing. There may be other reasons also, but delay in procurement is the number one reason for the reduction. Unless the management act fast, it will be very difficult to gain the earlier position.

This lethargy is also seen in the settlement of the staff problems. It takes unusually long time for the management even to settle simple issues. The last 12 years’ experience is sufficient example. The latest is the implementation of the assurance given by the management that the 78.2% IDA fitment will be implemented for the staff. The agreement was made on 12^th June 2012. Almost two months are going to be over. But so far even the BSNL Management Committee has not discussed the same, leave alone adoption. Management cannot be unaware that the workers are expecting for a quick resolution of the issue. The Forum of BSNL Unions, which is party to the agreement, has met the management several times for getting the matter expedited, but so far there has been delay only. The workers are asking when it will be approved and implemented. There is no excuse for the delay in finalising and issuing the order, of course after a quick process.

My point is that BSNL Management has to move fast, take quicker decisions and faster implementation, both in the case of development and expansion as also in the settlement of the workers issues.  This is a must for the survival of BSNL.