Author Archives: VAN NAMBOODIRI

Spectrum Auction goes to Rs. 52,698 crores.

09 Sunday Feb 2014

Posted by in BSNL News, Telecom

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New Delhi, Feb 7 : The third round of spectrum auction commenced for the fifth day today with Delhi witnessing an upward revision in prices for both the premium 900 Mhz and 1800 MHz band.

“Auction has started. There is excess demand in circles including Assam, J&K, MP, West Bengal, UP (E) and UP (W),” a Department of Telecom (DoT) official said.

At the end of fourth day, telecom companies have jointly made bids worth about Rs 52,689 crore. The government has got bids of around Rs 30,754 crore for 1800 Mhz band and Rs 21,935crore for 900 Mhz band.

The price of 900 Mhz in Delhi shot up by about 78 per cent to Rs 639.24 crore per megahertz as compared to the base price of Rs 360 crore fixed by the government; whereas for the 1800MHz band, the reserve price rose by 5 per cent to Rs 230 crorea MHz.

The auction for the fourth day ended with no excess demand for the first time for 900 Mhz in any of the three metros-Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata.

In Mumbai, the price of 900 Mhz band increased by 72 percent to Rs 563.09 crore for a Mhz and in Kolkata by 54 percent to Rs 192.71 crore.

Government has put on auction about 385 megahertz of spectrum in the 1800 Mhz band, which started on February 3,following a February 2013 Supreme Court order.

Government is auctioning airwaves in 900 Mhz band in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata, which are held by Vodafone, Airtel and Loop Mobile through their licences which are expiring in November.

The 3G auction in 2010 lasted for 34 days, while the auction in November 2012 lasted for 2 days and March auction last year lasted only one day.(PTI)

Maruti 800 – No more production

08 Saturday Feb 2014

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Maruti 800, the iconic car of the Indian middle class will no more be produced. The production has been completey stopped from 18th January as per a Suzuki management statement. But the spare parts may be available for 10 more years.
It was a low cost vehicle which had been sold as number one.

No Euro, No Coffee

08 Saturday Feb 2014

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I reached Barcelona Airport at about 0700 hours yesterday morning to board my flight to Delhi via Zurich. Fortunately, the check-in, security etc. was not much delayed and I was in the boarding gate by 07.30 hours. The flight was only at 09.15 hours. I wanted a cup of coffee and went to the shop in the airport. Since I thought that there will be no necessity for Euro today, I spent all the Euro I got during the tour on day before yesterday. When I ordered for coffee, I was told that only Euro will be accepted. I had a few pounds, but that was also not accepted. I went to two three other restaurants, but got the same answer. There was no money changing counter opened at that time inside the airport. So I had to go without coffee.
The moment I got in the flight, fortunately managed to get a cup of coffee, thanks to the steward. By the way, the coffee in Spain is good. But the local comrade told that Coffee is better in Italy.
I had learnt a good lesson. Always keep some change of the local currency with you. Today, it was coffee, tomorrow, it may be medicine or somthing like that we want.

Women take very active role in TUs in Spain, Cuba etc.

08 Saturday Feb 2014

Posted by in AIBDPA - BSNL DOT Pensioners

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While attending the International Pensioners’ and Retirees Conference at Barcelona, Spain, I noticed that the women comrades are taking a leading role. From receiving delegates at the airport, arranging food and accommodation, conference etc. they were in front. Yesterday, when I had to leave for the Airport at 05.30 in the morning, it was again the woman comrade who came with her car and drove me to the Airport.
I have seen the same leadership of the women comrades, when I visited Cuba a few years back to attend the WFTU Conference.
But there is a main problem. Both in Spain and Cuba as also in the former Spanish colonies, they only know Spanish. And we know only English. In this conference also the majority of the comrades from Cuba were women. But somehow everything is arranged in the best way. The speeches of all the comrades were on the spot translated in to other languages so that everybody could understand. It was a good arrangement.

The Cruel Face of Capitalism

07 Friday Feb 2014

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The cruel and ugly face of capitalism is becoming more cruel and ugly. The monster has shown its fangs and started to crush the working class movement itself. Attacks on the lives of the toiling masses are there in all the capitalist countries. In the developing and under-deverloped countries also.
This is what we could learn from the experiences of the leaders of the pensioners and retirees comrades, which were explained in the International Conference at Barcelona.
The attack is severe in Greece. After the serious recession and subsidising the corporates, the entire burden of he same is put on the working class. Salaries and pensions are cut, social security measures like health are curtailed. Unemployment has increased. Many has lost their jobs and livelihood. It is an all out attack on the working class.
Of course, the working class has reacted strongly. Agitations are continuing. Number of strikes have taken place. The sustained struggle continues to work and live.
The condition in other Euro countries are the same. Not much difference in other continents also.
There is no other go but to continue the struggle.
This ugly and inhuman capitalism has to be defeated. Socialism is the only alternative!

CITU OPPOSE FINANCE MINISTRY DECISION TO SELL SHARES OF STRATEGIC PUBLIC SECTOR UNITS

07 Friday Feb 2014

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CITU has issued the following Press Release against Disinvestment / Privatisation of BHEL, HAL and ETL. The same is reproduced below:

As per media reports, the Union Finance Ministry have decided to sell shares of Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Engineers India Limited (EIL) through block deal route.
This decision is being taken despite vehement opposition from various departments including the Department of Heavy Industries, which is the administrative ministry of many PSUs. BHEL is a Maharatna Public Sector Undertaking and these strategic PSUs have a huge cash reserve which could have been used for its expansion and diversification plans – instead resorting to sell out. However, the UPA Govt. wanted to shore up finances to contain the fiscal deficit.

The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) denounces the decision of the UPA Government to sell shares of these premier Public Sector Undertakings and calls upon the trade union movement and the workers and employees in the country to unitedly protest and resist such anti-people moves of the government to the detriment of national interest.

Bank Employees to strike on 10-11 February 2014

07 Friday Feb 2014

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New Delhi, Feb 6 : Employees of public sector banks will go on a two-day nation-wide strike from February 10 as unions and management have failed to reach a consensus on wage revision.

“The conciliation meeting before the Chief Labour Commissioner between the unions and Indian Banks Association (IBA) failed to find an amicable solution,” United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) Convener M V Murali told PTI.

So, UFBU has decided to go on two day nation-wide from February 10 to press for higher wage revision, he said.

General Secretary of National Organisation of Bank Workers, Ashwini Rana, said as the offer made by bank management is not in line with the rising inflation, the unions are compelled to stage protest. (PTI)

Greetings to the CEC of BSNLEU

07 Friday Feb 2014

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The CEC Meeting of BSNLEU will be held at Rajkot on 7-9 February. Since Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, President BSNLEU is attending the International Congress of the Pensioners and Retirees at Barcelona, he may not be able to attend the CEC this time. However, all efforts are being made to attend at least on the last date.
Com. Namboodiri sends his Greetings and Best Wishes for the success of the CEC. He conveys Revolutionary Greetings to all participants.
A detailed message has been sent to the CEC by the President.

International Congress of Pensioners and Retirees concluded

07 Friday Feb 2014

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The International Conference of the Pensioners and Retirees held at Barcelona, Spain has concluded successfully. The two days Congress was very effective since the delegates discussed all the matters connected with the issues of the pensioners.
The Congress elected office bearers with Comrade Dimos Koumpouris (Greece) as President and Com. Quim Boix (Spain) as General Secretary.
Detailed report will be published later.

BSNL-MTNL Merger

07 Friday Feb 2014

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

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It is reported that DOT has appointed a Committee to examine the Merger issue of BSNL and MTNL. Unions in BSNL and MTNL have been asked to intimate their opinions within 3 days.

This is a very complex issue and requires discussion by the unions internally and jointly by the unions and hence sufficient time is required.

The Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations will be meeting immediately after Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, Convener, returns to Delhi after attending the International Conference of Pensioners and Retirees being held at Barcelona, Spain. In the meantime the CEC Meeting of the BSNLEU is taking place at Rajkot on 7-9 February.