Monthly Archives: January 2014

Postal Workers Collecting Datas for CPI (Consumer Price Index)

28 Tuesday Jan 2014

Posted by in Price Rise

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“Global investors may well be putting their faith in postmen like Phanin Deka when they decide to buy or sell Indian assets in the future.

He is one of about a thousand post workers collecting data that determines the level of India’s consumer price index, which is likely to become the central bank’s most important tool for setting monetary policy.

Deka, a postmaster in Sarpara in Assam, spends six days every month visiting two villages by bicycle to collect prices from 15 shops.

“At times, some shopkeepers refuse to co-operate. I think they consider me as an irritant, particularly when customers are around,” said Deka.” (Courtesy: Hindustan Times)

Cuba Celebrates 55th Anniversary of Triumph of Revolution

28 Tuesday Jan 2014

Posted by in WORLD NEWS

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Cuba is a small island in the Latin American / Caribbean Islands. Its population is 1.1 crore, much less than the population of Kerala.But Cuba is well known over the world. Why?
Not only because it is a Socialist Republic.This small country won freedom from its oppressors and invaders through guerilla warfare; the Cuban Revolution became successful and Republic of Cuba came in to being on 1st January 1959.
Cuba had to face attack from all sides, including from the United States, its big neighbour and the leader of imperialism. The economic Blockade against Cuba continues for decades headed by US, despite the opposition of the vast majority of the world nations.
During the last 55 years, despite all these adversities, Cuban Revolution has given its people one of the best governance, including housing, food, education etc. Cuba is world number one in health care and most of the countries in Caribbean gets free medical training in Cuba.

Cuba celebrated its 55th Anniversary of the Victory of Revolution on the 1st January 2014. It is still headed by the leaders of the 1959 revolution. Of course, Fidel Castro, the legend in his own time, has handed over the Presidentship to Raul Castro, who is also one of the revolutionaries who stormed in to Santiago along with Fidel in 1959. Che Guevara,the Eternal Revolutionary, who left his Cuban Ministership and moved to Bolivia to free the country was killed in the deep forests of Bolivia.

Cuba was alone in its fight against US imperialism at first. Now after 55 years of the Revolution, most of the Latin American / Caribbean countries are against US. This is a great achievement.The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) is fighting against imperialist policies. A meeting of the CELAC has started on 27th January at Cuba which mourned the death of one of its great leaders, Hugo Chavez.The CELAC meeting is continuing.

The Cuban Revolution survives and advances inspiring the entire world. My Revolutionary Greetings to Cuba and its people!

” Revolution is challenging powerful dominant forces within and beyond the social and national environment…It is defending the values which are believed at the cost of any sacrifice….It is the profound conviction that there is no force on earth capable of crushing the power of the truth or ideas..” – Fidel Castro

“The Revolution continues to be the same, without commitments to absolutely anyone, only to the people.
“The Revolution has triumphed without any commitments to absolutely anyone, beyond the people, who are solely responsible for all of its victories”. – Raul Castro Ruz, President of Cuba.

Pete Seeger, the Balladeer of the Working Class no more

28 Tuesday Jan 2014

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The Iconic Folk-Singer and Balladeer of the World Working Class, Pete Seeger, passed away on 27th January 2014 at a New York hospital. He was 94.
Comrade Pete Seeger was a singer, environmentalist, anti-imperialist. He was a Communist; joined the party in 1942. He fought for civil liberties and was a hard critic of capitalism and imperialism.
His songs like “If I Had a Hammer,” ”Turn, Turn, Turn,” ”Where Have All the Flowers Gone” and “Kisses Sweeter Than Wine” etc. are sung over the whole world. He sang against Nazism and Hitler and also against nuclear power.
During the “Occupy Wall Street ” movement he sung powerfully, though he had to lean on two canes at his ripe age of 90. Pete Seeger popularised the International Song of Working Class “We Shall Overcome” through out the world.
Though he was victimised for his revolutionary songs, he continued his with his folk songs. He was awarded Grammy and US Rock and Roll of Fame Awards.
The Revolutionary Folk Singer has passed away. Our Revolutionary greetings to him! His songs will be making waves for many more years.

BSNL completes its network expansion in North East

28 Tuesday Jan 2014

Posted by in BSNL News

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Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) is likely to complete its Rs 1,500-crore 2G and 3G network expansion programme in the eastern and north-eastern states by mid-2014.

The development will boost the service quality of the state-owned telecom major in the region.”BSNL is investing around Rs 1,500 crore in expanding and improving the existing 2G and 3G network. We expect the expansion to get completed in the next few months,” BSNL CGM(Calcutta Telephones) Gautam Chakraborty told PTI.

“Work has already begun and we have received adequate equipment for the setup in our circle,” he said. He said once the project was implemented, service quality and capacity would get a boost in the eastern region of West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand and the north eastern states.

BSNL was planning to expand GSM lines by over 4 million
lines for the region, the contract for which was bagged by
Chinese vendor ZTE Telecom India.BSNL is expanding its capacity by 10 million GSM lines (2G and 3G) to help increase its subscriber base countrywide.

“In Calcutta Telephones network we will install new 300 BTS for 2G and 3G,” Chakraborty said.

Gold-smuggling reach 3,000 kg in a month – FM

28 Tuesday Jan 2014

Posted by in Neo-liberal policy

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The Finance Minister P.Chidambaram has stated today, 28th January, that the gold-smuggling has reached about 3,000 kg per month. This is an admission of the inability of the government to check this unauthorised and illegal smuggling to the country. He also stated that the higher duties and other curbs might have resulted in increase of smuggling and after a few months the restrictions can be revisited.
Two things come out of the statement. One, the smuggling has increased and the government has failed to curb the same. Second, the Government is rethinking on reducing the duties, curbs etc. on gold import. Instead of taking strong action against the illegal smuggling, the government is thinking of reducing the duties etc. to please the offenders and try to reduce the smuggling that way. Wonderful! The government has utterly failed in this respect; or otherwise, the government want to help the offenders. Both way, it is a failure of the government.

Com.P.Abhimanyu GS and Com. R.L.Moudgil AGS felicited

28 Tuesday Jan 2014

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A largely attended meeting at Chandigarh on 27th January 2014felicitated Coms. P.Abhimanyu GS and R.L.Moudgil AGS who have retired on superannuation from service on 31st December 2013.
The meeting was held at Bhakna Bhawan auditorium which was full with comrades who have come from all parts of Punjab.
The retired leaders were felicitated by garlanding and offering shawls and presents. Com. Balbir Singh, Circle secretary, BSNLEU, Punjab, welcomed all.
Coms. V.A.N.Namboodiri, President, BSNLEU, Raghunath Singh, General secretary CITU Punjab, Swapan Chakraborty, Shri Julka, CGM Punjab and other leaders addressed. Coms. Abhimanyu and Moudgil thanked all for the grand felicitation.
Com.Balbir Singh, Circle Secretary BSNLEU Punjab and other leaders have organised the programme successfully.

EGoM decides for 5% fee as spectrum charges

28 Tuesday Jan 2014

Posted by in PSU, Telecom

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The Empowered Group of Ministers(EGoM) headed by Finance Minister,which met on 27-01-2014 decided to charge 5% fee as spectrum charges. Earlier it was from 3% to 8% according to the usage. The Broadband Spectrum charges will continue 1%, who have already got the same.
While the Reliance Jio has welcomed the decision, the COAI which includes Reliance, Vodafone etc. has protested against the same depending upon their own interests.
However, it is a fact that the present decision of the government favours the private companies more or less. How it will affect BSNL and MTNL has to be examined.

Certain thoughts on Republic Day

26 Sunday Jan 2014

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The 65th Republic Day celebrations has taken place in the usual way. The President received the salute from the 3 Armed Forces, Prime Minister paid homage at India Gate Amar Jawan, the might of India as also the cultural heritage was paraded in the Janpath, Republic Day Awards were given, State and District level celebrations were also held and people had a holiday.
These are all good and necessary to enthuse the people about our democracy, the national pride and so on.

But whether any serious study is being made about the condition of the country after 67 years of Independence and 64 years of the experience of a democratic Republic? These are not long period in the history of a nation, but sufficient to make big changes.

The hard facts tell their own story. Out of the 121 crore population, about 30% are illiterate. People who are below the poverty line are more than this. Crores of people do not have their own house. Even those who have some shelter do not have a toilet or wash room. Unemployment is increasing every year. Purchase power of the people are going down. Women are not safe from harassment and sexual assault.
Corruption has been institutionalised and the governments are not prepared to tackle the same. instead the government is completely merged in corruption. Public institutions are handed over to private corporates to maximise their profit. No serious effort is being made to increase literacy, probably the ruling class are afraid of a fully literate population. Natural resources are being allowed to be exploited by corporates. Prices have gone rocketing beyond the reach of the common people. It is not that progress is not there, but even after 67 years of independence things have not gone correctly.
Communal forces are dividing the society for their narrow interests. Terrorists have raised their heads in many parts of the country. The working class are tried to be marginalised and their rights are being denied.
Unless there is a change for the better from this unsatisfactory situation, the situation will become worse. The working class and the common people have to come out and fight for their cause and for a better India where there is no poverty, people are educated
and democratic process is strictly followed and communal harmony is established. It is such an India that the people wants. Let us try to create such an India to come out of the present unenviable situation.

Meeting of EGoM on Revival of BSNL/MTNL on 27th January 2014

26 Sunday Jan 2014

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

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The EGoM on Revival of BSNL and MTNL is scheduled to meet tomorrow, 27th January. The Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations have written several times to the Chairman of the EGoM about the urgency of taking favourable decisions in this respect. The Declaration adopted at National Convention on Revival of BSNL/MTNL was forwarded with request to concede the important demands. Out of that some issues have been settled.The Rs. 1,500 crore from USOF is already paid; but the Rs.1,250crore from USOF is pending due to some report from BSNL is to be received by DOT/USOF.The mandating of BSNL/MTNL services for ll central/state establishments is reported to have been recommended for decision.
Now one important decision the EGoM has to take is changing the criterion for payment of pension contribution to the government by BSNL. At present it is on the basis of the maximum of the pay scale. This is unjust. It should only be on the basis of the actual pay. This is not settled so far. On the contrary, now when it has been decided that MTNL employees are also granted Pension as in the case of BSNL, the contribution on the basis of maximum is insisted.

The Forum has again written to the Finance minister that this injustice should be removed and the pension contribution should only on the basis of the actual pay. Copy of the letter is given below:

FORUM OF BSNL UNIONS/ASSOCIATIONS
D-7, TELEGRAPH PLACE, GOLE MARKET, NEW DELHI – 110001
——————————————————————————————————————-
Forum/GL 25th January 2014
To
Shri P.Chidambaram,
Finanace Minister & Chairman,
EGoM on Revival of BSNL/MTNL,
North Block Central Secretariat,
New Delhi – 110001
Sub: Revival of BSNL/MTNL – Pensionary Contribution from BSNL/MTNL to be on the basis of actual pay instead of maximum of the pay scale – requested
Respected Sir,
We are happy that the Government has considered the question of revival of BSNL and MTNL and the EGoM appointed under your chairmanship is examining the various aspects of reviving the two ailing PSUs. In this connection We would like to bring to your notice one most important issue, which if favourably onsiderd, will give much finanacial relief to both the PSUs, BSNL and MTNL.
The issue is about the payment of pensionary contribution that is to be paid to the government by the BSNL and MTNL for the DOT employees who have been absorbed in BSNL and MTNL. In the case of BSNL employees, it was part of the agreement that pension will be paid by the Govenment and that pension contribution for the employees will have to be paid by BSNL to Govenment. In the case of MTNL absorbed employees, the government has now decided the same method.
But the pension contribution to be paid by the BSNL and MTNL is caculated in an unjust manner. The BSNL and MTNL are directed to pay on the basis of the maximum of the payscale of the employee, instead of his/her actual pay. In the case of government employees on deputation, the government orders are that the pension contribution is to be paid on the basis of the actual pay. This should be the criteria for the payment of pension contribution by BSNL and MTNL also. By paying on the maximum of the payscale, the PSUs are compelled to pay many hundreds of crores of rupees from the loss making companies.
In order to reduce the loss of the companies and also as equalising the pension contribution as in the case of deputation of government employees, we request that the EGoM/Government may kindly take a decision to reduce the pension contribution by directing that it should be paid on the basis of the actual pay instead of the maximum of he pay scale.
An early favourable decision in the matter will be highly appreciated.
Thanking you,
Yours Faithfully,
sd/-
V.A.N.Namboodiri
Convener.

GREETINGS ON REPUBLIC DAY!

25 Saturday Jan 2014

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On the eve of Republic Day, I wish all comrades, friends and well wishers a very Happy Republic Day!
Let us all try together to make India a better place for the common people and the toiling masses!