Monthly Archives: January 2014

BSNL proposes to encash its land assets.

31 Friday Jan 2014

Posted by in BSNL News, Telecom, TU News - Telecom specific

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It is reported that BSNL is proposing to monetise its land assets in Mumbai and Delhi and other parts of the country to make up for the loss of last four years and for development and expansion. Immediately the proposal is with regard to the 37 acres in Borivali, 6.63 acres in Santa Cruz, 25.5 acres in Deonar (all in Mumbai) and 1.48 acres in Sector -33, Noida and 0.84 acres in Sector-18 Noida (all in Delhi). BSNL projects to use these for housing and commercial purposes.
According to the reports, the assets of the BSNL land all over India comes to about Rs. 13,500 crores. (This can not in any way be correct. BSNL has land all over India, in all places in the centre of the towns/cities. The land value will be more than 10 times more than this at the least).
The question is how these lands will be used? Whether lease it or sell it? Or whether develop by BSNL and rent it?
We are of the strong opinion that these issues should be discussed with the recognised unions/Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations, before embarking on the project. The pros and cons of the entire project is to be decided and if it is to be implemented, it has also to be ensured that it has to be done in a very transparent way to avoid corrupt practices.

Teledensity increases to 73.69% in November 2013

31 Friday Jan 2014

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, BSNL News

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The TRAI has stated that the Teledensity in the country increased to 73.69% by the end of November 2013.
The mobile connections have increased from 875 million in October to 881 million in November 2013. Out of this BSNL and MTNL together hold only 11.57%. The private companies together have a market share of 88.43% with Bharti Airtel 22.31%, Vodafone 17.94 and Idea with 14.57%.
The neo-liberal policies of the government which promote and favour private corporates against the PSUs as also the inefficient BSNL Management are the causes for this down fall of the PSUs.

Godman Asaram has assets of Rs.10,000 crore, Land value not counted

31 Friday Jan 2014

Posted by in General

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The Godmen in India are not the poor sanyasins of the old, who sacrificed all material benefits and are stated to have lived for the benefit of the mankind and to guide the people for the right living. The present so called godmen are super rich and are covered with all material benefits like big ashrams, vast acres of land, latest technological arrangements and also getting huge donations coming to hundreds of crores. Many of them are involved in criminal cases of land grabbing,assault, rape etc.
Now take the case of Asaram. He is accused of rape of young girls and the charge sheet is issued. He is having assets worth more than Rs.10,000 crore. It is without taking the land asset of thousands of acres in various places. Even all the documents have not been examined, which will increase the assets.
Many of these godmen promotes superstition and creates communal tensions to suit their own benefits.
Usually no taxes to the government are paid by these godmen on the plea of religious institution. Political bigwigs of the ruling and opposition parties as well as big corporate people are their disciples, so that no case will launched against them so long as they don’t cross swords with the former.
An enquiry is to be conducted in the wealth etc.of these so called godmen and take necessary steps as per the law of the country.

Belgaum Contract workers will start hunger strike on 3rd February

30 Thursday Jan 2014

Posted by in BSNLCCWF - Casual and Contract workers

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Against the non-implementation of the agreement by the BSNL Management for taking back the 284 contract workers retrenched earlier, the BSNLCCWF Belgaum unit has decided to go on Hunger strike w.e.f. 3rd February 2014. The BSNLEU and BSNLCCWF as also CITU are fully supporting the agitation. BSNLCCWF CHQ demands the BSNL Management to urgently take back the retrenched workers and engage them for work. Already the BSNL services have been adversely affected due to the retrenchment. BSNLCCWF fully supports the struggle and demands the management to settle the issues urgently.

Vodafone – How many tax cases?

30 Thursday Jan 2014

Posted by in Telecom, Uncategorized

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How much the MNCs are cheating the government on taxes etc. is not fully known. But the following case is an indicator. The MNC is the telecom giant Vodafone.
There is already a tax case which is in talks to settle for an amount of Rs.13,000 crore with regard to its purchase Hutchinson stake in 2011. Secondly there is another tax case worth Rs. 3,700 crore with regard to sale of its Pune BPO arm which is in the court. Now the IT Department has put another tax demand of rs. 3,000 crore for an alleged transfer pricing case of 2010-11.
It is no wonder that telecom companies like Vodafone are getting profits after profits. They are continuously avoiding taxes and if notices are given they manage the government through politicians and bribing.
The casualties are PSUs like BSNL and MTNL which obeys the rule of the government.

Gandhiji Remembered – 30th January 2014

30 Thursday Jan 2014

Posted by in Obituary, Tributes

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66 years back in 1948, it was on this day 30th January, that Gandhiji, the Father of the Nation, was shot dead by an assassin on the lawns of the Birla House, when he was going to offer prayers. It was a calculated murder intended to shut the voice of reason, the voice of the Hindu-Muslim unity, the communal harmony. The RSS could not tolerate the voice of sanity and for it this was the remedy.
The communal forces are still active as can be seen in Muzafarpur and other places where communal riots has taken place.
It is the duty of one and all to fight out this menace of communalism to ensure communal harmony in our dear country, where irrespective of religion, caste all can live like members of the same family.
We pay respectful homage to the memory of the Father of the Nation!

CPI(M) will tie up with Regional parties – Karat

30 Thursday Jan 2014

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Bhubaneswar, Jan 30 : CPI-M today said Left parties were in consultation with various regional parties to forge a tie-up after the Lok Sabha elections in order to give an effective alternative to people.
The Left parties were in consultation with various regional parties like the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh, JD(U) in Bihar, AIADMK in Tamil Nadu, JD(S) in Karnataka and BJD in Odisha, CPI-M General Secretary Prakash Karat told reporters here.
These parties could come together after the general elections, Karat said but rejected the term ‘Third Front’ for their platform.
“Our party is trying to have an electoral understanding with non-Congress and secular parties. I met Naveen Patnaik yesterday and hope to have an understanding with the BJD in Odisha,” he said.
Slamming both Congress and BJP, Karat said the two terms of the UPA has led to suffering of the people and loot of natural resources to benefit corporates. “Both the parties have entered into a competition to make better policies for the interest of corporates,” he said.
“The policies of Manmohan Singh and Narendra Modi are not different. People are fed up with the price rise, loot of resources and of course corruption,” Karat said adding that the Left parties are trying to bail the country out from the twin national parties.
As Congress is going down, it will be Left parties and other secular parties which can fight BJP, he said.
CPI(M) has decided to field candidates in 35 Lok Sabha seats spread over eight states but could fight in more seats following tie-up with regional parties, Karat said.
Asked whether his party would like to have a tie-up with the BJD, which has been tainted by the mining scam, Karat said Left parties have an understanding on economic policies that is radically different from the policies followed by the BJP and Congress.
On whether Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik could be the prime ministerial candidate of their front, Karat said: “Let the election be held. Why do you want to jump the gun?”
Karat also ruled out any understanding with the Aam Admi Party (AAP). “AAP can not be a substitute for the Left parties. They think AAP is the only party to become an alternative,” Karat said. (PTI)

Germany propose to reduce retirement age to 63 from the present 67 years.

30 Thursday Jan 2014

Posted by in AIBDPA - BSNL DOT Pensioners, WORLD NEWS

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The German Chancellor Angela Merkel has proposed that the retirement age be reduced from 67 to 63 years which will benefit the workers. The pension system is also reported to be reformed which may cost the government more.
It is to be noted that sustained agitations are continuing in the Euro countries against the austerity measures imposed on the workers and pensioners by the governments. The present decision may be as a result of the agitation.

Public Accounts Committee indicts Delhi Airport Modernisation Project

30 Thursday Jan 2014

Posted by in Corruption

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What the people have been doubting about the modernisation deal of the Delhi airport with DIAL giving huge concession to the company may be fully true. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Parliament in its draft report is reported to have made castigating remarks about the huge concessions given to DIAL, the firm which has taken the contract for modernisation. Vast area of land has been given for use ,for a paltry sum of Rs. 31 crore. The potential earning capacity of the land can be hundred times more or much more. In the same way, DIAL has been given lease of the airport for 60 years for a contribution of just Rs. 1,813 crore. The potential earning capacity of the same according to CAG report is about Rs. 1,63,557 crore.
Not only that. Against the agreement with the AAI, the DIAL has imposed development fee from the passengers also.

The Draft PAC report has demanded criminal investigation in to the above deals which has resulted huge loss to the government. It is to be noted that Praful Patel was the Civil Aviation Minister at the time of the deal. He is one of the richest Minister in the UPA II Cabinet.

Air quality in India 174th out of 178 countries – Delhi worst

30 Thursday Jan 2014

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As per the report of the Environmental Performance Index – 2014 by a UNESCO organisation, India ranks 174th out of the 178 countries in the matter of Air Quality. Of course, the other countries below are also from nearby viz. Pakistan, China, Nepal and Bangladesh. but that is no consolation.
As per an unconfirmed report, Delhi has been mentioned as the worst polluted city in the world.
The Government of India need to urgently attend to this worst scenario adversely affecting the health of the people.