Category Archives: AIBDPA – BSNL DOT Pensioners

AIBDPA (All India BSNL-DOT Pensioners Association ) is the organisation of the Pensioners retired from DOT and BSNL. The posting in this category are connected with their issues as also that of other pensioners. It is affiliated to NCCPA and BCPC, umbrella organisations of pensioners.

AIBDPA CALL -DONATE LIBERALLY TO BSNL CONTRACT WORKERS RELIEF FUND

03 Friday Apr 2020

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DONATE LIBERALLY TO BSNL CONTRACT WORKERS RELIEF FUND
Dear Comrades,
As you are well aware, BSNL contract workers have not been paid wages for the last one year or more, on the plea that BSNL is in loss and is not in a position to pay the wages. Many contract workers have been retrenched.
BSNLCCWF has been on continuous struggles all over India demanding wages and against retrenchment. AIBDPA has been supporting the struggle, by participating in the agitational programmes as also raising funds for the contract workers. In Kerala Circle, funds were collected by AIBDPA especially at the time of Onam festival and handed over to the contract workers. Strike for many weeks was organized in the Kerala Circle and similar agitations organized in T.Nadu, W.Bengal, Karnataka, U.P. etc. Dharna continued for many months in various circles.
M.P.s were met and the issue was raised in the Parliament by a large number of M.P.s including S/Shri K.K.Ragesh . Elamaram Kareem, Jose K.Mani, Binoy Viswam, K.Soma Prasad ( Kerala), T.K.Rengarajan, Tiruchi Siva, Smt. Vijila Sathyanath (T.Nadu), B.K.Hari Prasad (Karnataka), Manoj Kumar Jha (Bihar), Subhas Chakraborty, Ahamad Hassan (W.Bengal) and others. But the government /DOT/ BSNL did not settle the issue.
Ten contract workers committed suicide during the period unable to bear the mental agony of being unable to look after their family, including children. Even these tragedies could not move the DOT/BSNL.
Most of these contract workers continue to work, serving the nation and people, despite denial of wage. For keeping the communication network in this Corona situation, they are doing their maximum effort.
They require all our support. AIBDPA has supported BSNLCCWF agitations and donated earlier. Now also the contract workers have to be supported in their continued difficulties.
Hence we call upon all AIBDPA members to support the cause of the BSNL contract workers and donate liberally to the Contract Workers Relief Fund. The collected amount at Circle / District levels be handed over to the units of the BSNLCCWF at the respective levels with intimation to the CHQ. This is our responsibility to the suffering contract workers, who are part of the BSNL fraternity.
Yours Fraternally,
K.G.Jayaraj, New Delhi, 2nd April 2020
General Secretary, AIBDPA

“I have Voluntarily retired, but I have not retired” -( Quote.)

03 Friday Apr 2020

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“I have Voluntarily retired, but I have not retired” -( Quote.)

This may be applicable to the more than 78,000 officials in BSNL who accepted VRS and retired. Though retired, their claims are not fully settled as in the case of exgratia payment, gratuity etc. Even otherwise, their mind is always with the future of BSNL, and its workers. Most of the employees have gone on VRS, due to the peculiar circumstances that existed. They continue to be part of the BSNL fraternity, like those who retired earlier also.

AIBDPA demands early payment of Medical Allowance, Reimbursement and CGHS lumpsum amount.

31 Tuesday Mar 2020

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Letter dated 30th March 2020 from AIBDPA to Shri P.K.Purwar, CMD BSNL demanding early payment of Medical Allowance, Reimbursement and CGHS lumpsum amount.

Sir,
Sub: Settlement of Medical claims of BSNL Pensioners.
Kindly refer to our earlier letter on the subject.
As pointed out, the BSNL pensioners are having a difficult time for the last many months due to non-payment of medical allowance as also settlement of medical claims. Many pensioners are unable to take treatment due to lack of funds. We are fully aware of the financial crisis of BSNL. We are happy that the situation is improving post-VRS and the salary of the employees is being paid update.
COVID-19 has put the pensioners to more risk as the aged are more prone to its attack. Every pensioner is at home as per direction of the government. They require urgent financial help.
Considering the above situation, it is requested that sufficient funds be immediately allotted for the medical claims and reimbursement purpose.
In addition, it is also requested that BSNL may kindly refund the lump sum amount paid to CGHS by the BSNL pensioners by allotting sufficient funds for the purpose.
Yours Sincerely,
K.G.Jayaraj
General Secretary.

COVID – 19 DONATE LIBERALLY – AIBDPA Call

31 Tuesday Mar 2020

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COVID – 19 DONATE LIBERALLY
Lakhs of workers are affected by COVID-19 all over the world. More than 34,000 persons have died due to the pandemic. India is also affected seriously. 31 persons have died in India so far. Almost all the states are affected. The central government has declared Lock Down and people are expected to stay wherever they are. Special arrangements are made for treatment of Corona patients in all the states. The Doctors, Nurses and para medical staff are treating the patients despite the risk and they deserve our greatest appreciation and thanks. The police and security personnel are doing an excellent job, controlling the traffic, enforcing Lock Down etc. The youth in the country is doing all help.
The central and State governments are making all out efforts to control the epidemic and save maximum lives. Supply of medicines, food, arrangements for stay, arranging hospitals and wards for treatment etc. are being done.
Senior citizens above the age of 60 have been specially advised to completely stay at home, as they are more prone to the corona attack. We have to obey this direction and keep ourselves at home.
Yes Comrades, the country is facing one of the biggest challenges for decades. Funds are required by the Central / State governments urgently. The Prime Minister as well as the State Chief Ministers have called upon the people, to donate liberally to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund / Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
AIBDPA calls upon its members to liberally donate to the Relief Fund of the Prime Minister / Chief Minister. We have donated liberally in the earlier period of natural and other calamities, we should donate now also. The amount collected and donated may be intimated to the CHQ.
K.G.Jayaraj
General Secretary, AIBDPA.

COVID – 19. Senior Citizens should take care

27 Friday Mar 2020

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In all the countries so far affected by COVID-19, more casualties are aged people, since they are comparatively weak and is prone to illness. Under this situation, they are to fully observe the Lock Down and stay at home. Light exercises, rest, timely food, reading, writing, seeing TV etc as also contacting friends and relatives over phone, visiting face book, whats-app etc. will fill the time and keep energy. One should not allow anxiety, dismay etc. to take over them.

We shall pass this crisis and reach normalcy.

Funds released by DOT for payment of Ex-gratia to BSNL VRS retirees.

27 Friday Mar 2020

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After much delay, DOT has released the funds for payment of first installment of Exgratia amount to VRS retirees in BSNL, coming to Rs. 4,156 crore. According to the order dated 26th March, the payment is to be made within 21 days and that this fund can not be used for any other purpose.
In the present circumstances of COVID-19, maximum efforts on the part of BSNL is required to ensure that the payment is made in time.

Payment of AGR dues by private telecom companies – Supreme Court says their Managing Directors may be sent to jail.

21 Saturday Mar 2020

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Payment of AGR dues by private telecom companies – Supreme Court says their Managing Directors may be sent to jail.
We have already updated on this website, how the private telecom companies had been paying a lesser licence fee amount to the government all these years, by giving a wrong definition to the AGR (Adjusted Gross Revenue). We have also reported how on 24-10-2019, the Supreme Court had directed the private telecom companies to pay the entire amount due on account of AGR. The Supreme Court had also pulled up the DoT, for being lenient to the private telecom companies, in collecting the outstanding AGR dues. Despite all these, after the last hearing, the DoT permitted the private telecom companies to make a “self-assessment” of the AGR dues to be paid by them. The DoT also filed a petition in the Court, stating that the private telecom companies should be permitted to pay their AGR dues over a period of 20 years and also they should be exempted from payment of penalties and interest. Under these circumstances, the case came up for hearing again on last Wednesday (18-03-2020). On that day, the Supreme Court once again lashed out at the DoT, for seeking relief for telecom companies in paying the AGR dues. The Court refused to take up the Centre’s plea for allowing telecom companies to pay the AGR dues in 20 years, saying the application would be taken up only after two Weeks. The Court also severely criticised the DoT, for allowing the private telecom companies to make a self assessment of their AGR dues. If required, the managing directors of the telecom companies will be summoned and may even be sent to jail, the court observed. Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Tata Teleservices together have to pay Rs.1.02 lakh crore as AGR dues to the government, as per the Supreme Court order dated 24-10-2019.

[BSNLEU website Date : 21 – Mar – 2020]

20th Birth Anniversary of BSNLEU on 22nd March 2020.

20 Friday Mar 2020

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(File Photo, Visakhapatnam Conference 22-3-2001)

BSNL Employees Union is completing 19 years of its fruitful existence on 22nd March 2020. It is BSNLEU’s 20th Foundation day.

BSNL Employees Union, the majority recognised union of the BSNL workers, was formed on 22nd March 2001, in the National Convention of eight telecom unions held at Visakhapatnam, in the presence of Com. E.Balanandan, President of CITU and one of the greatest working class leaders India has seen.

Though started with about 50,000 – 60,000 workers, it grew to be the biggest union in BSNL with more than one lakh workers, despite the fact that there was no recruitment and thousands were retiring every year. This was a herculean task, but the united team of the BSNLEU leadership made the ‘impossible in to possible.’

BSNLEU, as the recognised union separately, and also jointly with other unions, both executive and Non-executives, defeated the nefarious designs of the central government, both NDA and UPA, to disinvest BSNL, unbundle the precious copper cables and so on. BSNLEU took the initiative to form the Joint Forum of the Unions and Associations, under which organisation, the battles were fought and the anti-worker decisions of the government defeated.

BSNL and its workers are  facing serious challenges to their existence. The neo-liberal policy initiated by the Congress government in 1991 and aggressively being implemented by  the present BJP government is making it difficult for the PSUs to sustain and grow. In the name of Revival Plan, 78569 employees have been compelled to take VRS in BSNL. Their many problems are there.  4 G Spectrum is still not allotted.Pension Revision is also delayed, without any justification.

The two associations, AIBDPA and BSNLCCWF formed at the initiative of BSNLEU has grown and strengthened. But the wages for the contract workers have not been paid for about one year. The demands of the workers, the pensioners and the casual contract labours are interconnected and inseparable. That is why united struggle.

It is in this situation that the  20th Foundation Day of BSNLEU  is coming. This time, there may not be much celebration, meetings etc on mass scale, due to the COVID -19 impact. But let us remember our past struggles and sacrifices so that we can advance with more vigour, determination and strength. BSNL has to be saved and improved to give better service to the nation!

BSNLEU ZINDABAD!

WORKERS UNITY ZINDABAD!

 

Allot 4G Spectrum to BSNL, Launch Services !

19 Thursday Mar 2020

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“BSNL’s 4G service.

In the budget for 2020-21, Government has made provision for allotment of 4G spectrum to BSNL and the same can be allotted to BSNL in May,2020. However, BSNL will not take the 4G spectrum immediately, since equipments will be ready for launching 4G service only after March, 2021. For 4G spectrum, BSNL has to pay Rs.5.5 crore, per day, as licence fee, even if BSNL does not use it. Hence, it is not wise to take the 4G spectrum, before the equipments are ready.

BSNL is already having 40,000 3G BTSs, which are 4G compatible. All these 40,000 BTSs can be upgraded to 4G BTSs, by which BSNL can immediately launch it’s 4G service. However, BSNL is experiencing certain difficulties in this regard. BSNL has to pay around Rs.2,000 crore as outstanding dues to the vendors of these BTSs, viz., Nokia, ZTE and Erricsson. Apart from that, Nokia is demanding a sum of Rs.3.5 lakh to Rs.7 lakh per BTS, for the upgradation of the 13,000 BTSs supplied by them. Whereas, ZTE is demanding a sum of Rs.7 lakh to Rs.10 lakh per BTS, for the upgradation of the 24,000 BTSs supplied by them. Since the rates are extremely high, BSNL is presently not in a position to upgrade these BTSs, for providing 4G service.” (BSNLEU Website)

The statement of the CMD BSNL as given in the brief of the discussions by the Unions/Associations with the CMD BSNL with regard to allotment of 4G Spectrum is given above. The CMD is stating that the 4G service will be ready for launching by March 2021 only ie. after one year.

This is unacceptable. One more year of delay for 4G services will further benefit the private telcos only and BSNL will suffer. Why can’t BSNL get the 4G Spectrum earlier and launch it? The excuses put by the management is untenable.

BSNL should pay wage and wage arrears to Contract workers.

19 Thursday Mar 2020

Posted by in AIBDPA - BSNL DOT Pensioners, BSNLCCWF - Casual and Contract workers, BSNLEU

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Contract workers engaged in BSNL are not paid wages for about one year. They are lowest paid workers and manage their needs by the wages they receive. About 10 comrades have committed suicide unable to face the agony of their families without food. The education of their children are discontinued. The situation is very pathetic.

To a question in the Parliament, Minister for Communications, Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad had stated that the contract workers are not employees of BSNL and are engaged by contractors. He added that contractors have been paid money. This is completely wrong. Contract workers are doing the work of BSNL and BSNL is paying the wages through contractors. Hence the responsibility of payment of wages is with BSNL. The contractors are contradicting the statement of the Minister that they have been paid by BSNL.

The central govt and BSNL who have already engaged the contract worker through contractor and had got the work done for the last one year have also got the responsibility to pay them.

BSNL has assured  the Unions/Associations that their salary arrears of one month will be paid by 31st March 2020. What about contract workers?

BSNL and Govt should ensure payment of the contract workers also by 31st March with out fail.