BSNL Market Share increased from 10.22% to 10.63%

07 Tuesday May 2019

Posted by VAN NAMBOODIRI in BSNL, BSNL News

Despite all adverse conditions and discrimination by government, BSNL has increased its market share from 10.22% to 10.63% during March 2018 to February 2019. This was announced by BSNL Director (CN) Sheetla Prasad. This is when all telcos are losing market share except Reliance Jio, the favourite of the Modi government.

BSNL in a statement also said that it has installed 54,000 towers during 2018-2019, which is higher than the combined figures of previous three years.

Yes, BSNL can not be defeated. It is moving forward, though slowly.

Prime Minister has to answer to the people.

06 Monday May 2019

Posted by VAN NAMBOODIRI in AUAB, BSNL, BSNLCCWF - Casual and Contract workers

≈ 2 Comments

BSNL is a 100% Government company and dictated by the policies of the government. Whether required or not, the government is interfering in all matters to ensure that BSNL does not expand and is finished so that the private telcos, especially Reliance Jio can capture the entire market. BSNL is a thorn for the Reliance Jio and hence it has to be finished. And it is towards this idea, that central government is acting against BSNL.

But it has gone too far. The one lakh or so contract workers who are working continuously to keep the service maintained in good condition, are not paid their meagre wages for the last 4 months. This is totally unacceptable.

Mr. Prime Minister, while thousands of crores of rupees are being arranged through loans etc. to the big corporates like Ambani, Adani etc. by you and your government, you are not even allowing BSNL to take loan from the banks to pay the wages to the contract employees.

In your own constituency, Varanasi, the contract workers are only paid about Rs. 1,500 /2000 monthly ( whereas the wages to be paid are Rs.10,500), and that also is not paid for ten months. Cruelty and inhuman action has a limit!

In similar situation in the KSRTC (Kerala State Road Transport Corporation), when due to loss the company could not pay the wages and pension, the LDF government took up the responsibility and paid the wages and pension, despite the fact the government was in financial difficulty due to floods etc.

Mr. Prime minister, at least show human consideration to the starving families of the contract workers in BSNL. They dont require 50,000 or 60,000 crores of rupees like Adanis and Ambanis, not even 1% of that. You spend thousands of crores of rupees for your costly dresses, but what about the hungry families, including children?

We request you to act immediately to ensure that the wages with arrears are paid to the BSNL contract workers.

BSNL stands with Odisha people.

06 Monday May 2019

Posted by VAN NAMBOODIRI in BSNL

≈ 2 Comments

The Fani storm has ravaged Odisha, with about 10 people died, hundreds of houses collapsed and more than 12 lakh people in the relief camps. The situation is very grave and the support and solidarity from all are required.

As in any time of natural calamities like floods, storms etc. BSNL is always there providing service to the affected people, while the private telcos are mostly absent. This is the same with the Fani storm in Odisha. Though initially, there was some problem, BSNL has quickly come back providing service and all help to the people.

BSNL always stand with the people!

Merger of BSNL Circles in the agenda

06 Monday May 2019

Posted by VAN NAMBOODIRI in AUAB, BSNL, BSNLEU

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The government and DOT seems to be always thinking about merger and or bifurcation with regard to BSNL. Earlier it was the proposal for Merger of BSNL and MTNL. Later there was bifurcation of BSNL in to Tower Company. Both did not work out due to strong opposition from the unions.

As per media reports the present proposal is to merge certain circles in the name of loss and non-viability. The circles proposed to merge are Bihar and Jharkhand, M.P. and Chhattisgarh, Punjab and Haryana, East UP and West UP etc. These are all circles which had been bifurcated earlier, after formation of new states, except that of East UP and West UP. It is not known whether the issue has been discussed with the Unions/Associations in BSNL, who are always very much anxious to improve the efficiency. By merging these circles, whether the efficiency will go up? Or is it due to non-availability of senior officers to hold the posts and reluctance to post promoted officials?

These are things which adversely affect the efficiency of the services and need to be discussed with the staff/union representatives. They should be informed and their viewpoints also taken in to consideration.

The DOT, BSNL has no right to deny wages to the contract workers.

03 Friday May 2019

Posted by VAN NAMBOODIRI in BSNL, BSNLCCWF - Casual and Contract workers

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BSNL is a 100% owned government Company. About one lakh contract workers in BSNL have not been paid wages for these workers for four months or so. In some circles wages for 10 months or so have not been paid, This is horrible. How can the low paid workers feed their families? They manage their lives on day to day basis and denial of wages for months have destroyed their lives.

The government, at the time of corporatisation, assured the workers that BSNL will be assisted and their future will be safe. What is happening to the government’s assurance?

Is it not discrimination and a cruel joke, that while those who gets lakhs of rupees and who are in better position are paid, while those at the lowest position and managing hand to mouth are denied their wages?

The immediate demand is that the government / DOT should assist the BSNL and grant sufficient funds to pay the wages of the contract workers.

BSNL – New Recruitment, not VRS, is the need of the hour.

03 Friday May 2019

Posted by VAN NAMBOODIRI in Uncategorized

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The government and the DOT as also certain media are, day in and day out, propagating that BSNL is on loss due to the large number of workers. Their panacea for the same is retrenching about 54,000 workers out of a total workforce of 1.70 lakh. This argument is completely baseless. Wherever VRS has been implemented, the company has down due to lack of workers to attend the service. Examples are many. VRS is a method to destroy the institution.

It is to be remembered that when there was 3.5 lakh of workers, about more than two lakh of workers than at present, BSNL was in good profit. The Revenue was high as well as profit. Had the VRS programme for one lakh workers was implemented then, the company would have suffered. BSNL became loss making only due to the anti-PSU globalisation policy of the government. Every time BSNL rises up, the government will take some drastic action to cut it, to favour the private telcos. Many works are outsourced, which weakens the service as also cost much more the expenditure on staff.

More employees have to be recruited. Eligible casual and contract workers, who are working for BSNL for two to three decades or more are available. They are experienced and are capable of providing good service.

Stop VRS – Recruit workers! That is plan to revive BSNL!

Secretary Staff Side, NC, JCM demands the govt to implement court judgment on Pension to those recruited in 2003 but posted after 01-01-2004, as per court judgment

03 Friday May 2019

Posted by VAN NAMBOODIRI in BSNL, CG Employees, Pension

≈ 3 Comments

The Confederation of CG Employees, as also Staff Side, JCM National council, has demanded that the officials who were appointed after 01-01-2004, but recruited before the date should be made eligible for pension as per CCS (Pension ) Rules 1972 and not as per NPS. This is a good development.

In the same way, it is necessary that those who were recruited before 01-10-2000, but appointed after 01-10-2000 in BSNL as also all the casual labour regularised after 01-10-2000 should be eligible for pension as per CCS(Pension) Rules 1972. The case was taken earlier, but the govt. did not agree. Now after the court judgment, the demand has got full justification and legal approval.

The letter from the Staff Side, National council, JCM is reproduced below:

No.NC-JCM-2019/Pension/NPS April , 2019

The Secretary

Government of India
Department of Pension and Pensioners welfare
3rd Floor, Lok Nayak Bhawan.
Khan Market, New Delhi.

Judgment in WP (C)3834/2013 & in WP(C)
2810/2016 dtd. 27/03/2017.
CRPF Lt. No.PAO/CRPF/MHA/NPS/DA-9(1)/
2018-19/797, dtd. 15th March 2019.
Sir,Lt. Dtd. 15th March 2019.
of Delhi, dtd. 12th Feb. 2015 and
27 March 2017.

Sub: Extension of old pension scheme under CCS(Pension) Rules 1972 to the employees who were selected During the year 2003 and who had joined service On or after 01/01/2004.

Ref: 1) Judgment of the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi

2) Min. of Home Affairs (Pay & Accounts Office)

* * *

You are aware that the Staff Side of National Council(JCM) is representing in various forums to withdraw the National Pension System and to restore the old Pension Scheme under CCS(Pension) Rules 1972, to the Defence Civilian Employees recruited on or after 01/01/2004, since the NPS is determental to the employees as there is no defined guarantee for Pension during the old age. This was one of the important demand, for which the NJCA has served Strike notice on the Govt. For observing In-definite Strike. However due to the assurance given by the Group of Ministers, the proposed In-Definite Strike was deferred.

Sir, at present based on the Judgment of the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi in the above referred cases, the Ministry of Home Affairs have decided to extend the benefits of the old pension scheme under CCS(Pension) Rules 1972, to the Para-Military forces who were selected during the year 2003, but joined service on or after 01/01/2004. In this regard your kind attention is drawn to the letter of Ministry of Home Affairs, dtd. 15th March 2019 referred at (2) above (copy enclosed for ready reference). The Ministry of Home Affairs have decided to transfer the NPS contribution of the concerned employees to the GPF Scheme and also to bring the employees who were selected during 2003 on the basis of notification issued during 2002/2003 and joined service on or after 2004, under the coverage of CCS(Pension) Rules 1972.

A large number of Central Govt. Employees in various Departments Like Railways, Defence, Postal and other Departments are similarly placed. These employees were selected for appointment during the year 2003, based on the employment notification issued during 2002/2003 however due to delay in receiving the Attestation Forms(Police Verification Report), Medical fitness etc., they were forced to join service on or after 01/01/2004. Due to no mistake of theirs’ they were brought under the coverage of NPS, thereby denying them the benefit of GPF and Defined Guaranteed Pension under the CCS(Pension) Rules 1972. These employees also have now started representing for extending the benefit given to the Home Ministry Staff for them, and their demand is fully justified and is covered under the Judgment of Hon’ble High Court of Delhi.

Sir, in view of the above, it is requested that you may kindly look into the matter and arrange to issue instructions for extending the benefit given to the Para-Military forces in the Home Ministry to the similarly placed Central Govt. Employees by extending them the benefit of Old Pension Scheme under CCS(Pension) Rules 1972. A copy of your instruction may please be endorsed to this office.

Thanking you,